Charles H. Bynum and the Fight Against Racially Prejudiced Polio Treatment in America
Charles H. Bynum, civil rights activist and health educator, was the first African American appointed to an executive role in a national health charity in the United States. Educated to a college level and experienced in confronting racial violence and discrimination, Bynum joined America’s largest polio charity, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP), in 1944 to help the organization improve race relations in its March of Dimes fundraising campaign. Although faced with the difficulties posed by racial prejudice and Jim Crow laws, Bynum’s internal and external activism led to important improvements in polio treatment, interracial fundraising, and educational opportunities for black Americans.
Before the licensing of the first safe and effective polio vaccine in 1955, polio epidemics emerged across America, causing widespread fear. Polio (infantile paralysis) is a viral disease that can cause paralysis of the limbs and the respiratory muscles. Complications can lead to death. While anyone can become infected, children are known to be particularly susceptible because of their developing immune systems. Although some polio survivors recover without complications, most experience lasting forms of paralysis.
Bynum devoted his career to addressing black Americans’ health needs and showcasing their volunteer efforts in the polio crusade. Through patience and persistence, Bynum influenced the management culture at the NFIP and its county chapter organizations. Between 1944 and 1955, he helped the NFIP restructure its epidemic preparedness program and worked towards dismantling prejudiced hospital admission policies. He also facilitated the inclusion of African American polio survivors in NFIP marketing materials and black representation on local chapter committees.
