Racism, Not Tuskegee Experiment, Is The Real Reason Behind Black Vaccine Hesitancy, Say Critics The study is widely cited for the reluctance, but some feel that’s just an excuse not to address racism in medicine. Published February 26th Written by Madison J. Gray A broad narrative about hesitancy among African Americans toward the coronavirus vaccine is that the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, in which a group of Black men in Alabama was left untreated for the disease for decades, is why Black people are reluctant. But the truth is that although the infamous study is often cited by politicians, journalists, and even scientists, and while that could be a factor in some instances, it seems that racism in medicine has directly affected Black populations over the years.