Unknown; Occupy Wall Street Archives Working Group
Object Type
Signs
Description
Health care reform became one of Occupy's signature issues, and activists called attention to the greed of pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, and medical device companies who prioritized profits over wellness. The Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, but progressive and left activists continued to push for universal health care during the Obama years and beyond, especially as many companies began to shed, and continue to constrain, employer-supplied benefits. In the midst of the growing health care crisis in the United States, hospitals across the country were closing. In New York City, St. Vincent's Hospital—which notably was the center of NYC's AIDS epidemic, was one of the first hospitals to address and treat HIV and AIDS in the nation, and operated one of the most established HIV treatment programs—fell into bankruptcy and closed in 2010. Developers quickly moved in to capitalize on the property, and in 2015, the Greenwich Lane condominium complex—built on the former St. Vincent's Hospital campus— sold its first units for $19,528,202.36 and $16,320,623.57.
Image Description
This cardboard sign, written with a black marker reads, "Health Care for the 99 %." The opposite side of the sign says “Occupy St. Vincent’s!”
Citation
"Health Care for the 99%" sign, circa 2011-2012; TAM.630 Occupy Wall Street Archives Working Group Records; box 23; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University