The State of Eugenics In North Carolina

By Anita Rao,

Published January 6, 2017 at 12:10 PM EST

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The new documentary 'The State of Eugenics' examines the decade-long legislative attempt to secure compensation for survivors of the North Carolina Eugenic's Program. Senator Thom Tillis, pictured here, played an integral role.

Courtesy of Dawn Sinclair Shapiro

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Willis Lynch, pictured here, is a retired mechanic who was stereilized in 1947 at the age of 14. His story is featured in the new documentary 'The State of Eugenics.'

Courtesy of Dawn Sinclair Shapiro

For more than 70 years, programs around the United States forcibly sterilized tens of thousands of American citizens.

While many states scaled their programs back after World War II, North Carolina ramped up their sterilization efforts. The state’s program became one of the largest and longest lasting eugenics programs in the country. The new documentary “The State of Eugenics” traces the history of the program, focusing specifically on efforts by journalists, scholars and politicians in the past two decades to bring justice to eugenics victims.

Host Frank Stasio previews the film with filmmaker Dawn Sinclair Shapiro. It screens at Wake Forest University on Thursday, January 12 at 5 p.m. and premieres nationwide on January 29.

Watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=448-ckOiKqo