North Carolina lawmakers set up a $10 million compensation fund last year for victims of the state's eugenics program. Over 780 victims applied for compensation for forced sterilization procedures. Sadly, the state only accepted 200 of those claims.
The North Carolina Eugenics Board operated from 1933 to 1977, and sterilized people deemed unfit to have children. These people included inmates and those deemed "mentally defective or feeble-minded" by authorities. But the Eugenics Board wasn't the only body managing sterilizations, and those who were sterilized by other doctors are being refused compensation.
One of the affected women is Debra Blackmon, who was given a full abdominal hystorectomy without consent in 1972, when she was only 14. Court records labeled her as "severely retarded" and said she had "psychic problems" that made her hard to deal with during menstruation.
All victims of forced sterilization suffered and may continue to suffer mental and physical anguish as a result of these brutal procedures. Please sign the petition to urge NC legislators to compensate all victims with records of their sterilization, whether or not the procedure was done by the Eugenics Board!
As you know, North Carolina lawmakers set up a $10 million compensation fund last year for victims of the state's eugenics program. Over 780 victims applied for compensation for forced sterilization procedures. Sadly, the state only accepted 200 of those claims.
The North Carolina Eugenics Board operated from 1933 to 1977, and sterilized people deemed unfit to have children. These people included inmates and those deemed "mentally defective or feeble-minded" by authorities. But the Eugenics Board wasn't the only body managing sterilizations, and those who were sterilized by other doctors are being refused compensation.
One of the affected women is Debra Blackmon, who was given a full abdominal hystorectomy without consent in 1972, when she was only 14. Court records labeled her as "severely retarded" and said she had "psychic problems" that made her hard to deal with during menstruation.
All victims of forced sterilization suffered and may continue to suffer mental and physical anguish as a result of these brutal procedures. We believe all of them have the right to compensation. We respectfully urge you to compensate all victims with records of their sterilization, whether or not the procedure was done by the Eugenics Board. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
