Facing the Past: New generations learn about shameful forced sterilizations

Winston-Salem Journal ^ | 8/30/07 | Patrick Wilson

[wagglebee]

>>   r e l a t e d   m a t e r i a l   <<

Elaine Riddick, who was sterilized under the state's eugenics program, becomes emotional during the exhibit. An exhibit in the Anderson Center at Winston-Salem State University shows that the state's program was actively used across the state.

(Journal Photo by Bruce Chapman)

Special Report

For more information on the details of North Carolina's Sterilization program, see the JournalNow's special report, Against Their Will, a five-part series presented in April 2003 that includes multimedia presentations of victims, an interactive timelineand sample IQ tests used to classify the "feebleminded."

2007 Update

Click to enlarge

The looks on their faces were somber as they listened to recordings of the stories of those who were forcibly sterilized under North Carolina’s eugenics program.

About 300 people came to Winston-Salem State University yesterday for an opening reception and to see the state’s new exhibit explaining the program.

“Look at the ages, 13, 14,” said Johnetta Huntley, a counselor at Parkland High School. “They’re all young.

“Our children need to be exposed to this so they won’t let something of this nature happen again.”

The interactive exhibit opened in Raleigh in June and made its first stop on the road at WSSU earlier this month.

The state’s eugenics program lasted from 1929 until 1974.

A five-member board made decisions to sterilize young and poor women and men, many of them against their will. More than 7,600 people were sterilized.

People who viewed the exhibit said they were shocked that states endorsed and carried out such programs.

“This is a project that is really embarrassing for the whole United States of America, for something like this to have taken place,” said Bobbie Linville of Winston-Salem. “This is something that you would expect in Nazi Germany.”

The exhibit explains eugenics and how it was carried out, has stories from survivors and displays medical tools, including a caliper, curette and forceps.

Several students said they are just now learning about the program.

Brittany Jones is a sophomore at WSSU who attended the reception at the Anderson Center after an instructor recommended that students see the exhibit.

“It was definitely unfair. It didn’t give the people a chance to actually have a family of their own,” Jones said of the state’s eugenics program. “I didn’t really see anything wrong with the people that were sterilized.”

Some of the survivors came to the reception, which included a panel discussion. One of them, Elaine Riddick, watched as people listened to her story through a telephone receiver.

Riddick was 14 when she was sterilized at a hospital in Edenton in 1968.

“I think that it’s reaching a lot of people,” she said of the exhibit.

Martinique Lewis, a junior at N.C. A&T State University, said she was surprised to learn that her home state of California conducted many sterilizations under its own program. She said that the exhibit shows how unfairly those who were sterilized were treated.

“I just wish it was bigger and it was better publicized so more people can know,” she said.

State Rep. Larry Womble, D-Forsyth, who is pushing legislation to require the state to financially compensate the people who were sterilized, helped get the exhibit to WSSU as its first stop outside of Raleigh. State officials say they hope to set up other locations.

The exhibit will be on display on the second floor of the F.L. Atkins Building on campus through Jan. 31. The building is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no charge to view the exhibit.

■ Patrick Wilson can be reached at 727-7286 or at pwilson@wsjournal.com.

Journal Photo by Bruce Chapman - An exhibit in the Anderson Center at Winston-Salem State University shows that the state’s eugenics program was actively used across the state. - Click to enlarge

[rawcatslyentist]

You are harsh and cruel to the not so poor as to be able to work and pay taxes.

What choice do you have to not support uncontrolled breeding? They have the choice to not procreate.

My previous post. I am not for forced sterilization without being able to have a progeny.

Reciprocally why should strangers be FORCED to support those with a lack of self control of their reproductive actions?

[rawcatslyentist]

The wards of state are ALREADY nanniefied. Why do you think they vote D? It’s still a plantation. The work has gotten a lot easier though. Just pull a voting lever every few years. The rest of the time who cares about their conditions. So long as they make more D voters.

[rellimpank]

—nope—I’d just make permanent sterilization a prerequisite for welfare of any sort-—

[perseid 67]

Why can’t you acknowledge that not all people who are dependent on government health care are irresponsible?

You must be in denial.

It is also strange that you trust the government so much.

[WFTR]

Is it better to alter people surgically or to return to a debtors' prison system where those who refuse to take care of their own needs and own children lose their freedom to continue living irresponsibly? Releasing someone from a debtors' prison when he/she reforms his ways is simpler than putting that person in a situation where he/she must undergo another surgery.

Bill

[rawcatslyentist]

Not all dependents are irresponsible. Taxpayers are the ones responsible.

I trust the govt about as far as I can spit a rat.

De Nile is a river in Afreeka. Never been there they tell me its nice.

Hmmm debtors prison VS taxpayers free ride vs sterilization...... tough call. Depends on if your a freeloader, or a taxpayer.

Once again, society is held together by a small modicum of socialism. Unfortunately socialism is like tooth decay. A little goes the wrong way!

[BenLurkin]

Forced sterilization is out of the question.

Women on public assistance could be paid a $1,000 bonus and given a free procedure.

This would help reduce poverty on a voluntary basis.

[perseid 67]

Men who have fifty children and take care of none of them may be more dangerous than five welfare mothers. A reversible procedure might not be so bad. Still after reading this article, I would advise people not trust the government. The are to many zero population people.

Zero population is just plain nuts(not that you believe in such stuff) we must at least reproduce enough people to keep our economy and culture afloat. I’m sentimental I love all children even poor children. My father was once a poor child. He did well for himself.

[BenLurkin]

Sterilizations for men at risk for fathering illegitimate children could also be performed at no cost and with a cash bonus incentive.

[perseid 67]

All men are at risk for having illegitimate children unless they have a moral backbone. I have to admit ,even though I am Catholic, when I hear of men who have numerous illegitimate children ,I think there should be a law against such nonsense. I would put them in jail. Debtors prison would not be a bad place for those rolling stones.

[expatguy]

Ah okay now I see what you were getting at -- forced imprisonment over forced sterilization.

Would you be imprisoning the women as well who continue to breed like rabbits expecting the taxpayers to pick up the tab?

[Turret Gunner A20]

Ping for later.

[8mmMauser]

Pinged from Terri Dailies

8mm

[perseid 67]

This idea was tried by the Catholic church in the Magdalene Laundries. While the Magdalene laundries were not as Draconian as what has been done to poor women deemed unfit to reproduce in this country, the system was corrupted. Girls and women who were not at risk for having illegitimate children were imprisoned on the word of busy bodies. I’m afraid the Virgin Mary would have been at risk for imprisonment.
Strangely enough the same people who want breeding licenses always become infuriated at the treatment of the Magdalene laundresses. Maybe you should read up on them.
This is not an anti Catholic screed. I know perfectly well that poor women were treated worse in this country. Not only were they sterilized , they were imprisoned in insane asylums. Where no doubt ,they were subject to much worse abuse than the Catholic laundries imposed on their wards.

[perseid 67]

It would be a bad idea to sterilize poor people. First off poor people are the only ones who are subject to natural law . The poor adapt and become stronger whereas the rich become weaker because they do not need to adapt to the environment. The second reason it would be a stupid idea is because the anger of a barren woman is unending. The rich slobs who come up with these ideas would need many expensive high security prisons to protect themselves from the angry mutilated men and women who would work day and to avenge themselves.

[darkangel82]

I think you’re on the wrong website, Stormfront is over there.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"poor people are the only ones who are subject to natural law . The poor adapt and become stronger whereas the rich become weaker because they do not need to adapt to the environment."

Tell that to Ted Kennedy's liver. LOL

Cerially, where do we draw the line? The Chinese and Indians are about to have big problems on their hands. Their overpopulation and forced abortions/sterilizations, have produced an abundance of male only population. Their future doesn't look too bright.

Conversely how many more nanny state dependent Dim voters are we willing to pay to bring into this nation? How many till our nation becomes a third world of overpopulated starving uneducated masses? Is that what you want for this nation?

Something needs to be done. The things done in the past, recent and long ago were not the right things to do. However at this rate a lot of our country will be reduced to Sao Paulo/West Bank garbage living.

DA182, Thanks for the rational discussion. Your insinuation that I am a Nazi was quite ludicrous. Do you want our nation to become a nanny welfare state??? Do you????

[perseid 67]

You make a case against government intervention in the control fertility when you bring up the Communist Chinese. As for the East Indians, they chose to not have daughters. In a sense you are like both the communists and the East Indians. You dislike poor babies the way the East Indians dislike female babies. You can’t see how poor people contribute to the vibrancy of our culture. You can’t connect the decline of our culture with all the abortion we have allowed particularly among poor people. Like the communist Chinese you think allowing authority figures control of our reproduction is the answer.

You claim your main beef is with health care. Doctors have said that they can’t profit because of insurance costs. We should go back to the health care system we had at the turn of the century before we sacrifice the reproductive abilities of poor people. You don’t get it a baby is a gift from God not to be taken lightly.

[July4]

Forced sterilization is almost always indefensible.

However, the current hearings in NC revolve about two things: promises of money for the victims and the benefit of continued polarization of the races and classes for the Democrat party.

Please remember that we are talking about events that took place half a century ago. I remember when segregation was good and killing the unborn was bad. It hasn't been that long ago that Blacks were considered 3/5ths of a person, and women couldn't vote or own property.

Let's correct our mistakes, pick ourselves up, and get this country moving in the right direction again!