Bro. Askia
New Member
Birth of a scandal
Black and poor women sterilized without consent
By Artellia Burch
THE CHARLOTTE POST
http://www.thecharlottepost.com
Thousands of men, women and children were sterilized in North Carolina under one of the country's longest-running eugenics programs.
And many of them didn't have a choice.
Sterilization became legal in 1927. North Carolina sterilized people up until 1974.
Eugenics became a popular movement in the early 1900s according to Steve Selden, a professor at the University of Maryland and author of "Inheriting Shame: The Story of Eugenics & Racism in America.'
"By the early '20s eugenics was an outdated science," he said. "But that didn't stop the eugenics movement. "Some eugenics believed that things like alcoholism and poverty could be determined by genes.
"This science of eugenics is no longer accepted. There's no strong scientific evidence that DNA can determine strong characteristics like intelligence. We are animals, so we carry genetic information from all ancestors but like a painter with a palette it only gives us the colors we may use to paint our lives. A just society would give us a well-lit room in which to undertake our art like health care, education and a strong family. In other words society would offer us a supportive environment."
Initially poor whites and the mentally retarded or those in mental institutions were the first to be sterilized. In the N.C. program's later years, black women were the prime targets.
North Carolina was responsible for more than 7,600 sterilizations, which made it the third largest in the country trailing only California and Virginia. At least 2,000 minors were castrated in spite of objections from their parents.
Gov. Mike Easley offered an official apology for North Carolina's role in the program.
"On behalf of the state, I deeply apologize to the victims and their families for the past injustice, and for the pain and suffering they had to endure over the years," Easley said in a statement.
"This is a sad and regrettable chapter in the state's history, and it must be one that is never repeated again," he said.
Johanna Schoen, assistant professor history in women's studies at the University of of Iowa and author of "Against Their Will" says North Carolina's program was unique.
"It was the only state where social workers could initiate sterilizations," she said. "The second things is around the 1950s when most states ceased their programs North Carolina started a huge publicity program and accelerated its program.
At that time, African Americans were more likely to be sterilized as a condition to receive public assistance.
"Before the 1950s blacks didn't receive welfare," Schoen said. "So once they began to enter the system they became targets for sterilization. More blacks became sterilized between 1950 and 60."
Retired nurse Pauline McLurkin, who worked in Charlotte from 1944-89, witnessed young black women being coerced into sterilization.
"Back then the N.C. Board of Eugenics was in control," she said. "I remember periods of time when young black single mothers would go in the hospital for their first pregnancy and they would be in a lot of pain. While in labor, doctors would ask the women if they wanted to be sterilized. They were in pain, so of course the women would say yes. But once they had given birth the women were given papers to sign to be sterilized. A lot of the girls regretted giving them permission."
McLurkin says some women didn't feel they had a choice because of the pressure the doctors would place on them.
"The doctors would remind them they had said yes in front of witnesses," she said. "I know some case workers would give first time mothers forms to sign to be sterilized. Back then some of the women didn't see a way out. Social workers and doctors were making the decisions and there were several interns who volunteered to do sterilizations."
Black nurses "began to question what was going on when we saw so many new mothers that had this procedure done," McLurkin said. "We began to ask the mothers how many children they had and that's when they would tell us they had this procedure done. We began to tell the women they had a choice.
"The word got out that black nurses were advising the women against tubul ligation. We also started telling black doctors and they began to push the issue. We were more of the informants."
Schoen says supporters of eugenics believed sterilizations would improve the quality of humans.
"They argued that if you sterilize poor people you could prevent children from growing up in poverty," she said. "And since blacks became targets once entering the welfare system, another argument could be made that people were sterilized to hold down welfare payments. "
Black and poor women sterilized without consent
By Artellia Burch
THE CHARLOTTE POST
http://www.thecharlottepost.com
Thousands of men, women and children were sterilized in North Carolina under one of the country's longest-running eugenics programs.
And many of them didn't have a choice.
Sterilization became legal in 1927. North Carolina sterilized people up until 1974.
Eugenics became a popular movement in the early 1900s according to Steve Selden, a professor at the University of Maryland and author of "Inheriting Shame: The Story of Eugenics & Racism in America.'
"By the early '20s eugenics was an outdated science," he said. "But that didn't stop the eugenics movement. "Some eugenics believed that things like alcoholism and poverty could be determined by genes.
"This science of eugenics is no longer accepted. There's no strong scientific evidence that DNA can determine strong characteristics like intelligence. We are animals, so we carry genetic information from all ancestors but like a painter with a palette it only gives us the colors we may use to paint our lives. A just society would give us a well-lit room in which to undertake our art like health care, education and a strong family. In other words society would offer us a supportive environment."
Initially poor whites and the mentally retarded or those in mental institutions were the first to be sterilized. In the N.C. program's later years, black women were the prime targets.
North Carolina was responsible for more than 7,600 sterilizations, which made it the third largest in the country trailing only California and Virginia. At least 2,000 minors were castrated in spite of objections from their parents.
Gov. Mike Easley offered an official apology for North Carolina's role in the program.
"On behalf of the state, I deeply apologize to the victims and their families for the past injustice, and for the pain and suffering they had to endure over the years," Easley said in a statement.
"This is a sad and regrettable chapter in the state's history, and it must be one that is never repeated again," he said.
Johanna Schoen, assistant professor history in women's studies at the University of of Iowa and author of "Against Their Will" says North Carolina's program was unique.
"It was the only state where social workers could initiate sterilizations," she said. "The second things is around the 1950s when most states ceased their programs North Carolina started a huge publicity program and accelerated its program.
At that time, African Americans were more likely to be sterilized as a condition to receive public assistance.
"Before the 1950s blacks didn't receive welfare," Schoen said. "So once they began to enter the system they became targets for sterilization. More blacks became sterilized between 1950 and 60."
Retired nurse Pauline McLurkin, who worked in Charlotte from 1944-89, witnessed young black women being coerced into sterilization.
"Back then the N.C. Board of Eugenics was in control," she said. "I remember periods of time when young black single mothers would go in the hospital for their first pregnancy and they would be in a lot of pain. While in labor, doctors would ask the women if they wanted to be sterilized. They were in pain, so of course the women would say yes. But once they had given birth the women were given papers to sign to be sterilized. A lot of the girls regretted giving them permission."
McLurkin says some women didn't feel they had a choice because of the pressure the doctors would place on them.
"The doctors would remind them they had said yes in front of witnesses," she said. "I know some case workers would give first time mothers forms to sign to be sterilized. Back then some of the women didn't see a way out. Social workers and doctors were making the decisions and there were several interns who volunteered to do sterilizations."
Black nurses "began to question what was going on when we saw so many new mothers that had this procedure done," McLurkin said. "We began to ask the mothers how many children they had and that's when they would tell us they had this procedure done. We began to tell the women they had a choice.
"The word got out that black nurses were advising the women against tubul ligation. We also started telling black doctors and they began to push the issue. We were more of the informants."
Schoen says supporters of eugenics believed sterilizations would improve the quality of humans.
"They argued that if you sterilize poor people you could prevent children from growing up in poverty," she said. "And since blacks became targets once entering the welfare system, another argument could be made that people were sterilized to hold down welfare payments. "
