North Carolina passes its first sexual sterilization law

March 9, 1919. The Legislature of North Carolina passes "An act to benefit the moral, mental, or physical condition of the inmates of penal and charitable institutions." The purpose of this legislation, as the name suggests, was to "improve" the condition of individuals living in state institution by allowing them to be sterilized.

The legislation specified that the medical staff of any penal or charitable hospital or institution was allowed to sterilize an individual provided that the operation would improve the individual's "physical, mental, or moral condition". Additionally, the operation needed to be approved by a State Board of Health, which constituted of one representative from each of the state institutions and a governor and secretary (Pub. Laws & Res of North Carolina, ch. 281, §1-2, n/a).

Although active for 10 years, this legislation was not put into effect (Kaelber, 2011). One reason that has been suggested is that it was feared as unconstitutional (Paul, p. 420).

-Luke Kersten

  • Kaelber, L. (2011). Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States. Retrieved from http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/NC/NC.html.

  • State of North Carolina. (1919). An Act to benefit the moral, mental, or physical condition of the inmates of penal and charitable institutions. Public Laws and Resolutions of the State of North Carolina.

North Carolina passes its first sexual sterilization law

March 9, 1919. The Legislature of North Carolina passes "An act to benefit the moral, mental, or physical condition of the inmates of penal and charitable institutions." The purpose of this legislation, as the name suggests, was to "improve" the condition of individuals living in state institution by allowing them to be sterilized.

The legislation specified that the medical staff of any penal or charitable hospital or institution was allowed to sterilize an individual provided that the operation would improve the individual's "physical, mental, or moral condition". Additionally, the operation needed to be approved by a State Board of Health, which constituted of one representative from each of the state institutions and a governor and secretary (Pub. Laws & Res of North Carolina, ch. 281, §1-2, n/a).

Although active for 10 years, this legislation was not put into effect (Kaelber, 2011). One reason that has been suggested is that it was feared as unconstitutional (Paul, p. 420).

-Luke Kersten

  • Kaelber, L. (2011). Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States. Retrieved from http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/NC/NC.html.

  • State of North Carolina. (1919). An Act to benefit the moral, mental, or physical condition of the inmates of penal and charitable institutions. Public Laws and Resolutions of the State of North Carolina.