They Tried to Make the Winter Soldier with Psychedelics – Using Black Men

Step into a frank, evidence-based exploration of one of the darkest (and least discussed) chapters in psychedelic research. Beginning in 1953, the CIA’s MK-Ultra program—built with the help of ex-Nazi scientists—covertly dosed hundreds of unwitting people with LSD. At the Addiction Research Center in Kentucky, those “subjects” were overwhelmingly incarcerated Black men, exposed to more than 800 psychoactive compounds in racially tiered, often torturous protocols. These abuses etched lasting trauma into families and communities, even as they later inspired fantastical storylines—from Captain America to the Winter Soldier (aka Bucky Barnes)—in the Marvel Universe.

Our MeetUp provides a space to confront that history and consider its lessons for today’s psychedelic renaissance. Researchers Sheldomar Elliott, BA, and Lianna Tullis-Robinson, MA, will guide an interactive discussion on the ethical breaches of MK-Ultra, their impact on Black mental health, and what genuine repair and accountability might look like. Whether you’re a clinician, scholar, activist, or simply curious, join us to unpack the past, honor survivors, and chart a more just future for psychedelic science.