STERILIZATION OF BLACK WOMEN

In the 1900’s, black women were being sterilized without their consent. Many sterilizations took place during routine medical procedures or after the women gave birth. Sterilization was very common in the United States, especially in California. Throughout the 20th century, California accounted for one-third of the total number of forced sterilizations in the country.

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 Sterilization was used as part of the eugenics movement in American to remove the “unfit” from society. People were deemed “unfit” if they were poor, mentally ill, criminals, or if they carried traits that were undesirable to a population.  During the 20th century there were many federally funded sterilization programs.

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When looking back on the history of sterilization, it is very apparent that these events took place, but finding stories from the women who were sterilized is nearly impossible. There is a lot of research regarding the history of eugenics and forced sterilization and even chemical castration, but it seems as though no one has really looked into obtaining more information about the real experiences of these women.

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Sources: 

Arambula, Rosa. “When American Sterilized Women of Color.” The Signpost, (November 5, 2016.)

Ko, Lisa. “Unwanted Sterilization and Eugenics Programs in the United States.” PBS Independent Lens, (January 29, 2016.)