From 1929 to 1974 North Carolina forcibly sterilized thousands of men, women and children without their consent. This practice was a form of eugenics that hoped to improve the gene pool and remove traits such as poverty, promiscuity and alcoholism.
On Wednesday, North Carolina lawmakers passed a budget that includes $10 million to compensate the state’s victims of forced sterilization.
“There were challenges, we had to better educate our members — and then of course we had to work through the fiscal challenges — but at the end of the day, what we’ve done is something truly historic,” state House Speaker Thom Tillis, a Republican, told NBC News.
Only 48 of the surviving victims of North Carolina’s now shuttered eugenics program have come forward and been matched to state records. The North Carolina Institute for Sterilization Victims Foundation has the job of finding thousands of survivors that are believed to be alive.
Elaine Riddick is one of those survivors. At the age of 13, Riddick was raped and impregnated. After she gave birth, she was sterilized.
On Thursday Riddick said she was amazed to learn of North Carolina’s plans to compensate victims.
“I tip my hat to North Carolina, finally they came to their senses and decided to do what’s right,” she said.
Still, Riddick added, the money isn’t enough.
“You can’t put a price on someone taking your womb or castrating you, it’s humiliating,” Riddick said.
July 26, 2013 -
It will never give them back what was taken but at least victims are FINALLY getting some type of compensation.
July 26, 2013 -
Wtf? That had better be $10 million per person.
Where the hell are all the “good” Black lawyers, and what exactly are they doing with their lives? And don’t say Obama.
July 26, 2013 -
THOUSANDS of people are splitting $10 million? And that’s supposed to compensate for the GENERATIONS of their family tree that will never exist? This is exponential bullshit! They should own NC after that shit.
July 26, 2013 -
Just saw where it says only 48 have been identified. It’s just as bad as thousands in my opinion. That’s a little over $200K per person — barely a decent home.
July 27, 2013 -
Sorry, not enough
July 29, 2013 -
I’m really surprised that this topic didn’t blow up. Cause Sterilization is something a lot of people wish they could impose of poor people to solve urban dilemmas. But it seems like it doesn’t work because the people still end up poor with or with out children. The real issue is the lack of decent well paying jobs.
I would say people need education but I do remember a time in America when one need not be highly educated to live in a good neighborhood and have a good life. Postal work, government jobs and telephone companies helped many blacks move into middle class neighborhoods back in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
July 29, 2013 -
This is beyond sad… It puts me in the mind of the Tuskegee experiment.