King, Obama, and Healthcare

updated February 8, 2024

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Reverend Dr. King led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968.

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

“In 1963, Dr. King helped lead the March for Jobs and Freedom, more commonly known as the “March on Washington,” which drew over a quarter-million people to the National Mall. It was here that he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, which cemented his status as a social change leader and helped inspire the nation to act on civil rights.” from The King Center

Barack Obama-44th U.S. President

In 2008, Democratic candidate Barack Obama ran for President of the United States and won, becoming the 44th President and the first African-American to win the office.

Obama’s Healthcare Achievement

As a candidate for president, Obama pledged to enact universal health care coverage for the country, a promise he fulfilled with the support of a Democratic Congress.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often shortened to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), nicknamed ObamaCare, is a United States federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.

 

Universal Healthcare Coverage -“Obamacare”

The term “Obamacare” was first used by opponents, then embraced by supporters, and eventually used by President Obama himself. Together with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 amendment, it represents the U.S. healthcare system’s most significant overhaul and expansion of coverage since  Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.

 

 African-American Health

To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. First celebrated in 1926, the week was expanded into Black History Month in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial.

Each year, the U.S. President proclaims February as National African American History Month. Heart disease, cancer, and stroke are the leading causes of death for African Americans.

High blood pressure causes  most heart attacks and strokes in the United States. About 2 out of every 5 African American adults have high blood pressure, and less than half of them have it under control. African American adults are much more likely to suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension), heart attacks, and stroke deaths than white adults.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death among black people in the United States. Black men get and die from cancer at higher rates than men of other races and ethnicities. White women have the highest rates of getting cancer, but black women have the highest rates of dying from cancer.

Steps to Improving Health

People of any ethnic background can prevent heart disease, cancer, stroke, and other serious or chronic diseases by living a healthy lifestyle. Here’s how

• Eat a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Choose foods low in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
• Exercise regularly. Adults aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes (or 150 minutes total) of exercise, spread out during the week, and broken up into smaller times during the day.
• Be smokefree. call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569 for Spanish speakers) for free resources, including free quit coaching, a free quit plan, free educational materials, and referrals to other resources where you live.
• Limit alcohol use, which can lead to long-term health problems, including heart disease and cancer. If you drink, do so in moderation, which is one drink a day for women and two for men.
• Know your family history . There may be factors that could increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
• Manage any medical condition you might have by collaborating with healthcare professionals for best practices to control and monitor your status.

 

  I learned the quote on health attributed to Dr. King was never in written form, but was in an unrecorded speech. Many people verify the gist of the statement, but with some changes; he may have said “inhuman” rather than “inhumane, for example. For a discussion of this controversy, see this article by Amanda Moore.

 

 

 

 

 

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