Perdue, Bev. Press Release, 2009-08-10, Governor Follows Up on Campaign Pledge for Justice for Sterilization Victims

Beverly Eaves Perdue Governor State of North Carolina Office of the Governor 20301 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-0301 August 10, 2009 Contact: Chrissy Pearson Cell: (919) 215-4669 Office: (919) 733-0767 Governor Follows Up on Campaign Pledge for Justice for Sterilization Victims RALEIGH - During her campaign for governor, Bev Perdue made a promise that if elected she would take steps to create the Justice for Sterilization Victims Foundation. The foundation would establish guidelines for identifying eugenics survivors and help them find justice. Following up on this campaign pledge, Gov. Perdue included $250,000 in her initial budget proposal in March and worked to ensure it remained in the final budget that passed last week. The money will enable the state to begin planning efforts for the establishment of the foundation. From 1929 to 1974, approximately 7,600 North Carolina citizens were sterilized as part of the eugenics program, a state-sponsored effort to identify and treat men and women deemed unfit or unworthy to have children. “It is my hope that with this seed money we can make strides towards closing the book on a very dark chapter in North Carolina’s history,” Gov. Perdue said. ###