Left Behind: Black America: a Neglected Priority in the Global AIDS Epidemic, Black AIDS Institute (2008)

This timely report sets forth the severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic among African Americans and the failure of the United States government to respond to this crisis. The report presents the staggering statistics demonstrating HIV/AIDS rates among African Americans rivals that of many African countries receiving funds as part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). While African Americans bear the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, U.S. policy-makers continue to respond as if HIV/AIDS were an epidemic suffered outside United States borders. The report discusses the causes contributing to the HIV/AIDS crisis among African Americans, looking at issues such as risk factors, gender bias, homophobia, stigma, drug use, imprisonment, and inequalities in health care. It then proposes an action agenda involving African-American communities, the public and private sector, researchers, and international agencies to address this multi-faceted health and human rights crisis.