The Racist American Eugenics Program: A Crime Against Humanity.

Introduction The story of the American eugenics program (or "good breeding" movement) has been a history of lies, deception, evasion, and racism. But the eugenics movement did happen. It was not some abstract idea, or theoretical measure. Quite obviously this sad story, riddled with complexities, is a burden for the descendents of eugenic stalwarts. I suspect that the descendents of eugenic activists do not like being reminded of their ancestors' terrible eugenic deeds, moral degradation and depredations, and the horrible things they inflicted upon the weak and powerless--like involuntary sterilization. Although the eugenicists "advocated compulsory sterilization for criminals, sex deviants, and the feebleminded," (1) many poor women were sterilized for the simple or flimsy reason as "being considered [too] lazy or [too] promiscuous." (2)