Please provide two sentences that state the conclusion to this historical essay by providing an answer to the thesis statement.

Topic: Mistreatment of African American Heroes during the Philadelphia Yellow Fever crisis

In 1793, the yellow fever outbreaks ravaged Philadelphia claiming tens of thousands of lives at a time when there were no established medical theories or treatments. At the time, medical theories surrounding yellow fever were based on humoral knowledge, which described the makeup and workings of the human body. This led to a failure to understand the origin of the contagion and disagreement on how to treat the disease. During the Philadelphia Yellow Fever Crisis, African American men and women made significant contributions to the fight against the disease yet were met with cruel treatment and stigmatization from the people they served. This mistreatment and ostracization of African American heroes reveal the deep-seated prejudices and inequalities in Philadelphia society at the time.

The politics of race played out during the 1793 Yellow Fever Epidemic, fueled by references to slavery. Bacon (2001) ascertained that "Thomas Jefferson expressed views on God's ultimate judgment for the sin of slavery and his belief that free African Americans were inferior and could never coexist peacefully with whites" (p.5). These ideologies had roots in White Americans' perception of Black Americans. The system of slavery marginalized African Americans and created a cycle of racial inequities and social and cultural disparities that held them captive. Free Blacks cared for the sick even as their lives were imperiled.

The legacy of Black historical heroes who provided aid during the Philadelphia Yellow Fever crisis was not one of praise and recognition but instead one of blame and belittlement. This was especially true for African Americans from the lower classes, who were criticized and left out. Hogarth (2019) confirmed, "during that early public health crisis, White physicians and lay people erroneously thought that Black people were immune to yellow fever because of their race" (p. 1). Dr. Benjamin Rush convinced Richard Allen and Absalom Jones to stay behind and help tend to the sick in Philadelphia, believing in the theory of Black immunity. Allen and Jones mobilized Philadelphia's Black community to assist with nursing the sick and burying the dead, risking their lives to provide essential services to their remaining fellow citizens. Dr. Rush trained many volunteers to bleed and purge the sick. Scott (2019) described the heroic role of Philadelphia's free African American population during the outbreak. "Richard Allen and fellow minister Absalom Jones heed their friend Rush's request to join him in caring for Philadelphia's sick" (para. 5). Philadelphia's Black community remained to fight the epidemic, and this history has borne out their sacrifice as something of great merit and service to the nation. Gould (2000) concurred that "Rush reminded Allen that the assistance of the city's black population 'will be incredibly grateful to the citizens' and 'pleasing to the light of that God who will [reward] every act of kindness'" (p.2). Rush's deceptive approach using the concept of God's name as their reward contradicted Jefferson's revelation of God's judgment for the "sin of slavery." Despite Whites contributing to their status as second-class citizens by holding them captive to religion, Allen, Jones, and their community remained devoted to the cause.