A tale of two pandemics: A nonfiction comic about historical racial health disparities - Generocity Philly

Purpose

Nov. 17, 2020 3:30 pm

A tale of two pandemics: A nonfiction comic about historical racial health disparities

Three medical doctors are the main characters of this comic by Josh Neufeld, which explains racial health disparities and the spread of misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic and the 1918 influenza pandemic.

(From "A Tale of Two Pandemics")

This guest post was created by comics journalist Josh Neufeld, writer/artist of The New York Times bestseller "A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge."

This article first appeared on Journalist’s Resource and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.


From our Partners

###

About this piece:

In a “A Tale of Two Pandemics: Historical Insights on Persistent Racial Disparities,” Neufeld uses the form of comics journalism to highlight a recent research article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The comic draws on the research article itself, along with additional sources — including interviews with co-authors Lakshmi Krishnan, S. Michelle Ogunwole and Lisa A. Cooper. The three medical doctors are the main characters of the comic, which explains racial health disparities and the spread of misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic and the 1918 influenza pandemic. The doctors’ speech-bubble quotes come directly from their interviews with Neufeld.

In cases where Neufeld quotes directly from their research article, he depicts the authors speaking in unison — akin to a Greek chorus. “I let their voices guide the narrative,” Neufeld says. “I’m so grateful that they spoke to me about their article!”

The social media posts featured in the comic are quoted verbatim from actual posts, and many of the drawings are based on news photos — such as Associated Press photographer Bebeto Matthews‘ images of people waiting in line for face masks and food in New York last April. For more on Neufeld’s comics journalism process, please see Journalist’s Resource companion Q&A.

For educators and anyone else who would like to republish it in print, Journalist’s Resource provides access to a high-resolution PDF here: Download a high-resolution PDF.

Sources and related resources:

“Historical Insights on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, and Racial Disparities: Illuminating a Path Forward.” Lakshmi Krishnan, S. Michelle Ogunwole and Lisa A. Cooper. Annals of Internal Medicine, Sept. 15, 2020.

“The Color of Coronavirus: Covid-19 Deaths by Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.” APM Research Lab, last updated Nov. 12, 2020.

“Memory and Medicine: A Historian’s Perspective on Commemorating Marion J. Sims.” Susan M. Reverby. Perspectives on History, Sept. 17, 2017.

“The Myth of Black Immunity: Racialized Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Chelsey Carter and Ezelle Sanford III. Black Perspectives, April 3, 2020.

“Canaries in the Coal Mine, COVID-19 Misinformation and Black Communities.” Brandi Collins-Dexter. Discussion Paper from the Harvard Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, 2020.

-30-

From our Partners

A Generocity update, and our 2023 editorial calendar

We’re innovative changemakers. Why shouldn’t we fundraise the same way?

Scribe explores oral history in ‘Power Politics’ series, funds emerging media makers

SPONSORED

Generocity Philly

Meet Kim Andrews, new executive director for The Fund for Women and Girls

Philadelphia, PA

Fairmount Park Conservancy

Capital Projects Manager

Apply Now
Philadelphia, PA

Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP)

Director of Development and Communications

Apply Now
Philadelphia

DiverseForce

Managing Directors: Career Pathways & Community Resiliency

Apply Now

Adult learners need digital literacy, too

How to create a CSR initiative built to last

cinéSPEAK and the future of cinema in West Philly

SPONSORED

Generocity Philly

Be the leader to bring a 26-year mission into the future in Chester County

Hybrid (Princeton)

Young Audiences NJ and Eastern PA

Arts Education Administrator (Hybrid)

Apply Now
Philadelphia , PA

Community Legal Services

Communications and Social Media Associate

Apply Now
Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Remote, or Hybrid

Regional Housing Legal Services

Staff Attorney, Housing Development Legal Services

Apply Now
   
       
       

Subscribe to Generocity

       
* indicates required