Leper colony

A settlement or institution where people with leprosy were separated from the wider community, sometimes by law or force. Such places varied from religious shelters to state-run sites of compulsory confinement.

Kalaupapa Leprosy Settlement: A settlement on Molokaʻi, Hawaii, where people with Hansen’s disease were forcibly relocated from 1866. Its long history of exile and community life illustrates compulsory isolation under government authority.
Leprosy: A chronic infectious disease caused by bacteria that can affect skin and peripheral nerves. The disease’s visible effects and misunderstood transmission shaped policies of separation.
Medieval leprosarium: A medieval European institution that housed or cared for people believed to have leprosy. These institutions are historical predecessors, though not identical to modern compulsory colonies.
Leprosy stigma: Social prejudice and discrimination associated with leprosy and its effects. Confinement reinforced the stigma that marked residents after diagnosis.
Kalaupapa National Historical Park: A United States national historical park preserving the landscape and history of the Kalaupapa settlement. Its preservation brings the history of exile and residents’ lives into public memory.
Culion Leper Colony: A leprosy settlement established on Culion Island in the Philippines in 1906. Its scale and medical administration made it a major example of colonial-era segregation.
Hansen's disease stigma: Social prejudice and exclusion directed at people affected by Hansen’s disease. Stigma helped turn medical uncertainty into social and legal segregation.
Lazar house: A hospital or shelter historically associated with the care or isolation of people with leprosy. Lazar houses reveal older religious and civic models of leprosy care.
Disability rights: Legal and social protections supporting the equal rights and participation of disabled people. Residents’ exclusion raises questions about equal treatment and freedom from discrimination.
Leprosy Museum: A museum in Japan documenting leprosy, its treatment, and the history of segregation. Its exhibits confront the consequences of institutional isolation and discrimination.

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