1960's - James Baldwin. A civil rights activist involved in the civil rights movement. In 1963, He was good friends with Harry Belafonte and other civil rights figures. Baldwin met with public figures to discuss the moral implications of the civil rights movement.
1 Certain genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome, are associated with an increased risk of leukemia. 2  Exposure to certain chemicals. 3  Exposure to certain chemicals, such as benzene â which is found in gasoline and is used by the chemical industry â also is linked to an increased risk of some kinds of leukemia. 4  Smoking. Previous cancer treatment. 2  People who've had certain types of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for other cancers have an increased risk of developing certain types of leukemia. 3  Genetic disorders. 4  Genetic abnormalities seem to play a role in the development of leukemia.
The exact cause of most childhood leukemias is not known. Most children with leukemia do not have any known risk factors. Still, scientists have learned how certain changes in the DNA inside normal bone marrow cells can cause them to become leukemia cells. Normal human cells grow and function based mainly on the information in each cellâs DNA.