Dr. Sebi, His Ads and His Day in Court
If you heard Dr. Sebi speak in public or watched him in videos, you know that without fail he mentions advertisements that put him in jail and on trial in the New York Supreme Court. Thirty years ago, in July 1987, Alfredo Bowman aka Dr. Sebi had his day in court, with Judge Kenneth L. Shorter presiding. These are the advertisements that put him there.
Other parties in the trial included Petitioners Robert Abrams, the Attorney General of the State of New York; Phyllis Spaeth, Assistant Attorney General of the State of New York and Respondents Ogun Herbal Research Institute, doing business as Usha Herbal Research Institute; Maa Bowman and Fig Tree Products.
Text from the trial’s Permanent Injunction stated,
It is ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that respondents are permanently enjoined from engaging in any fraudulent, deceptive or illegal acts of practices, including, but not limited to:
claiming, orally or in writing, directly or by implication, that respondents, their services or their products can cure, mitigate, or in any way relieve or alter the course of AIDS, herpes, leukemia, sickle cell anemia, lupus or any other human disease, pain, injury, deformity or physical condition.
distributing or publishing any advertisement, brochures or other printed matter or broadcasting any advertisement which claims directly or by implication, that respondents, their services or their products, can cure, mitigate or in any way relieve or alter the course of AIDS, herpes, leukemia, sickle cell anemia, lupus or any other human disease, pain, injury, deformity or physical condition.
Even though the Supreme Court of the State of New York accused Dr. Sebi and the Usha Herbal Research Institute of making fraudulent claims in New York City newspaper advertisements, Dr. Sebi and his company never wavered in their claims to cure the diseases mentioned in the ads. Lancaster Laboratories helped them maintain that steadfast position in court. According to Dr. Sebi, representatives from Lancaster attended his trial and testified that Fig Tree products were tested, verified and deemed organic natural vegetation cell food.
Lancaster Laboratories is now Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environmental, a division owned by Eurofins. Both are major laboratories “with a broad range of laboratory testing methods from germination testing to plant disease diagnosis to a wide variety of seed health testing options.” Eurofins Lancaster has a global reach, providing clients in multiple industries with analytical testing services. One of the company’s mission statements is “We feel that every sample that we receive from a customer is an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to accuracy, timeliness, and understanding.” This is the kind of analytical expertise Dr. Sebi sought for his products, a decision that served him well in court.
When the trial ended in his favor—several of Dr. Sebi’s clients were witnesses—Dr. Sebi and the Usha Herbal Research Institute recategorized and repackaged their products, using language from Lancaster Laboratories on the new labels: These products are made of natural vegetation cell food. Collectively, they represent the alkaline herbal healing method Dr. Sebi created, the African Bio Mineral Balance.
We commemorate the birth of this innovative man, born on November 26, and we undoubtedly know his healing method continues. It continues with pioneer members of the Usha Herbal Research Institute who practice herbal healing in the same method created by Dr. Sebi over 40 years ago. It continues with protégé entrepreneurs who have parlayed their acceptance of Dr. Sebi’s teachings into natural healthcare, skincare and food products. Clearly, Dr. Sebi, in life and in death, is the epitome of the adage “You can’t keep a good man down.”
First published November 1, 2017