Summary

After having researched and made a presentation on the AIDS Epidemic, I have gained a better
understanding on what HIV/AIDS are and the history of it. According to a study conducted in 2003,
scientists found that the HIV virus derived from wild monkeys in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Africa in the1920s. It wasnt until 1981 that reports of AIDS were spreading amongst gay men in
California and New York. Having never seen this rare disease, the people of the United States were
scared for their safety and what risks came along with it. After AIDS spread nation-wide and began
popping out throughout each continent, the United States took several precautions in preventing
civilians from obtaining the disease and passed laws to help fund money for AIDS research. Many
famous people began to publicly announce their diagnoses. Ryan White, a young boy suffering from
hemophilia, contracted AIDS after being given contaminated blood during a transfusion in 1985. He later
became a symbolic figure of hope for those with AIDS even after his death in 1990. In the 1990s, AIDS
became one of the leading causes of death across the world. Ever since, the number of deaths and
diagnoses have declined, but it continues to affect millions today. Now, there are several fundraisers
that accept donations and volunteers to help find a cure for AIDS.