Black public figures have been working to encourage the Black community to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 

The ethical violations of previous American clinical trials, including the infamous “Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male,” evidence of systematic racism in the healthcare system, tidal waves of misinformation being tossed around Twitter and Clubhouse, and the swiftness with which multiple vaccine options have been introduced to the market have led to a deep mistrust from some in the African-American community.

These reluctant participants have become targets of outreach efforts by medical organizations looking to combat the current pandemic, and some celebrities have jumped in to help them spread awareness. Former President Barack Obama has even volunteered to publicly receive his dose to assuage fears about potential side effects.

“I may end up taking it on TV or having it filmed, just so that people know that I trust this science, and what I don’t trust is getting COVID,” he told SiriusXM.

During his first term as Commander-In-Chief, Obama previously did the same to advocate for the H1N1 vaccine at the height of the swine flu pandemic. Other politicians, former pro athletes, television personalities, and news anchors have done the same, volunteering to publicly receive doses of the vaccine to assure the public of its safety. Find out who’s stepped up to the plate below.

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