More than 30 states once sanctioned eugenics; the vast majority of the victims were sterilized forcibly

Vicious State Mulls Amends for Sterilizations

A consensus is emerging on how to compensate thousands of men and women sterilized in one of the largest state eugenics programs in the U.S. But North Carolina's budget troubles make it unlikely that the aging victims will get cash payments anytime soon.

A perennial legislative proposal to pay as many as 3,000 sterilized people $20,000 each got a boost this spring after Republicans took over North Carolina's House and Senate following the November elections.

Compensation for victims has long been championed by state Democrats, but the idea gained momentum with the recent endorsement of some high-ranking Republicans who said sterilization was an infringement on individual rights.

"Most of the time, we're thinking from the neck up, but this one started with me in the stomach, the intuition of it all," said Republican Rep. Dale Folwell of Winston-Salem, the speaker pro tem of the House.

North Carolina is among more than 30 states that once sanctioned eugenics; the vast majority of the victims were sterilized either forcibly or with inadequate consent.

The eugenics movement, which gained popularity in the early part of the 20th century, called for sterilizing some Americans who were deemed socially or intellectually unfit. But North Carolina was the rare state that accelerated its program after World War II, amid a backlash against the eugenics practices of Nazi Germany.

The program continued through 1974, far later than other states, and North Carolina now estimates that 7,600 people were sterilized under the auspices of its eugenics board. State statisticians say nearly 3,000 of those sterilized may still be alive, with many people aged 70 or older.

A task force for Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue is holding a public hearing on compensation options Wednesday to hear directly from people who were sterilized about how the procedure affected their lives. Advocates say they hope the hearing puts additional pressure on legislative leaders to find money for compensation, despite budget pressures.

Willis Lynch, a retired handyman from rural Warren County, said he would drive to the capital Wednesday to speak at the hearing. "I'm going to tell them I was 14 years old then, I'm 77 years old now," he said. "It's been too long already."

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More than 30 states once sanctioned eugenics; the vast majority of the victims were sterilized forcibly

More than 30 states once sanctioned eugenics; the vast majority of the victims were sterilized forcibly

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