National

Virginia to Compensate Victims of Forced Sterilizations

Published

11 years ago

February 27, 2015

Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, checks his phone on the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates during the House session at the Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015, in Richmond, Va. The General Assembly is expected to approve $400,000 in the state budget to compensate victims of involuntary sterilization by the state during the eugenics era. The surviving victims will be entitled to $25,000 each. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

BILL SIZEMORE, Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Lewis Reynolds didn’t understand what had been done to him when he was 13.

Years later, after getting married, the Lynchburg man discovered he couldn’t father children. The reason: He had been sterilized by the state.

Reynolds was among more than 7,000 Virginians involuntarily sterilized between 1924 and 1979 under the Virginia Eugenical Sterilization Act.

Advocates for the surviving victims won a three-year fight Thursday when the Virginia General Assembly budgeted $400,000 to compensate them at the rate of $25,000 each.

It’s welcome news, Reynolds said.

“I think they done me wrong,” he said. “I couldn’t have a family like everybody else does. They took my rights away.”

Eugenics is the now-discredited movement that sought to improve the genetic composition of humankind by preventing those considered “defective” from reproducing. Virginia’s Sterilization Act became a model for similar legislation passed around the country and the world, including Nazi Germany. Nationwide, 65,000 Americans were sterilized in 33 states, including more than 20,000 in California alone, said Mark Bold, executive director of the Christian Law Institute, which has been advocating the cause of the Virginia victims since 2013.

Virginia is the second state to approve compensation for victims of the eugenics program. North Carolina approved payments of $50,000 for each victim in 2013.

But the money from the state comes too late for most of those who were sterilized in Virginia, Bold said. There are only 11 known surviving victims, he said. Two have died in the past year, he said. Those who are left greeted the news with tears and hugs, Bold said.

The Virginia sterilizations were performed at six state institutions, including what is now known as Central Virginia Training Center in Lynchburg. When Reynolds was sterilized there, it was called the Virginia Colony for the Epileptic and Feeble Minded.

Reynolds was presumed to have epilepsy. As it turned out, he was exhibiting temporary symptoms from having been hit in the head with a rock.

Reynolds’ first wife left him after the couple learned they couldn’t have children. He married again, and this time the union lasted. His second wife, Delores, died seven years ago after 47 years of marriage.

There were times, he has said, when he and Delores would cry about their inability to have a family.

Nevertheless, he made the best of the life he had been handed.

He joined the Marine Corps and served in two wars. He was a military policeman and a firearms instructor, at one time teaching FBI agents how to shoot. He manned a 50-caliber machine gun in Korea. He retired from the corps after 30 years and found work as an electrician. At 87, he still takes occasional jobs wiring houses.

The Virginia eugenics law was upheld in the 1927 Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell, in which Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., writing for the majority, famously declared: “Three generations of imbeciles are enough.”

Revulsion over the state’s actions brought together lawmakers from across the political spectrum, united in the belief that it was time to write the final page in a shameful chapter of the state’s history.

The compensation measure was sponsored by Del. Ben Cline, a conservative Republican from Rockbridge County, and Del. Patrick Hope, a liberal Democrat from Arlington County.

“There was a growing consensus that we needed to act while we still had the opportunity to look these people in the eye and acknowledge the wrong that was committed against them so many years ago,” Cline said.

The original legislation called for payments of $50,000 each. Even that amount was inadequate to address the wrong that was done, in Bold’s view.

“But it’s symbolic,” he said. “Now the healing and forgiveness can begin.”

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Preventing Amputation: A Doctor’s Guide for Diabetes Patients

POST NEWS GROUP — Amputation is usually the final stage of diabetic foot disease. Earlier signs often involve nerve damage. Some people experience numbness, tingling, burning, or loss of sensation in their feet.

Published

2 days ago

July 12, 2026

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For many diabetes patients, amputation becomes a last-resort measure after infections, ulcers, or poor circulation worsen rapidly and leave few other treatment options.

But according to Dr. Estelle Everett, a physician and researcher specializing in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), most diabetes-related amputations can be prevented through early intervention, consistent medical care, and patient education.

For Everett, her commitment to diabetes prevention is deeply personal. Watching her younger sister navigate Type 1 diabetes exposed her early to the challenges many patients face, including barriers to advanced diabetes technologies such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps due to racial disparities in patient care.

Those experiences helped shape her focus on prevention, education, and equitable access to care.

Dr. Everett spoke with California Black Media (CBM) about the warning signs of diabetic complications, prevention strategies, healthcare access, and the role of diabetes technology in improving outcomes.

What are some of the early warning signs that a person with diabetes may be developing circulation and nerve problems that could potentially lead to amputation?

Amputation is usually the final stage of diabetic foot disease. Earlier signs often involve nerve damage. Some people experience numbness, tingling, burning, or loss of sensation in their feet.

Poor circulation is another warning sign. Symptoms can include calf pain while walking, foot pain at rest, cold feet, skin color changes, or wounds that do not heal properly. Foot ulcers, thick calluses, and untreated cuts can also become serious infections that may eventually lead to amputation if they are not treated early.

Before complications reach that stage, what are some early signs of diabetes itself that people should be looking out for?

Many people are walking around with diabetes and do not even realize it. Some patients first seek medical care only after they’ve already developed complications because they’ve had diabetes for years without knowing it.

That’s why routine screenings are so important. If you have diabetes, controlling it early can significantly reduce the risk of severe complications later on.

Many Black Californians harbor a degree of distrust in the healthcare system. What message would you send to encourage people to get regular checkups?

Distrust is real, and there are many reasons people may avoid healthcare. Some fear discrimination or worry they’ll simply be judged instead of helped.

Personally, I realized some of the care my sister received may have been influenced by racial bias. Although she had diabetes for years, she was never offered diabetes technology like insulin pumps or continuous glucose monitors. When she finally asked about them, she was told she had to jump through many hoops.

Later, I realized her experience wasn’t unique. Research shows that minority patients and people from lower-income backgrounds are less likely to be offered diabetes technology. That inspired me to focus my research on improving access for the populations that need these tools the most.

I think building trust is important. Finding the right doctor is almost like dating. If you don’t feel comfortable with your provider, it may help to find someone you connect with and feel understands your concerns. That relationship can make a major difference in getting consistent care.

Are there newer technologies or innovations in diabetes care that people should know about?

One of the biggest advances has been continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs. These small wearable devices track blood sugar levels in real time and have really changed diabetes care over the past decade.

For providers, CGMs give a much clearer picture of blood sugar patterns throughout the day. For patients, they provide immediate feedback about how food, exercise, and other daily habits affect blood sugar levels.

Someone may notice that certain foods cause major spikes while certain exercises lower their blood sugar. That real-time information helps people make healthier decisions and improve blood sugar control. Research shows these technologies can significantly improve outcomes.

What daily habits or preventative measures can reduce the risk of complications or even amputation?

The biggest thing is controlling your diabetes. A lot of people automatically think diabetes will lead to amputations, but research shows the risk is much lower when diabetes is well managed.

That means taking medications as prescribed, making dietary changes, and working to keep your A1C below 7. Managing high blood pressure and high cholesterol is also important because both contribute to circulation problems.

People should also inspect their feet every day, especially if they’ve already lost sensation. Some patients injure their feet without realizing it because they can’t feel the damage. Catching wounds early is critical. Good foot hygiene also plays a major role in prevention.

Are there any common misconceptions about diabetes that stand out to you in your clinical work with Black patients?

One major misconception is that diabetes medications cause complications like kidney failure or amputations. In reality, poorly controlled diabetes causes those complications — not the medications used to treat it.

Those misconceptions sometimes cause patients to avoid medications or stop taking them altogether. Another issue is that some people believe diet and exercise alone should always control diabetes. While lifestyle changes are important, some patients have severe diabetes that also requires medication.

Needing medication is not a personal failure. Sometimes diet and exercise alone are simply not enough, and medication is necessary to prevent serious complications.

This article is supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF). Visit www.chcf.org

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Oakland Post: Week of July 8 – 14, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 8 – 14, 2026

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2 days ago

July 12, 2026

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Black History

IN MEMORIAM: A Queen Mother’s Journey Home

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — She opened doors for those to come with wisdom, strength, and grace,
She challenged wrong, uplifted youth, and quickened justice’s pace.
Her scholarship and generous heart shall bloom through future years,
Transforming dreams to living hope beyond our grief and tears.

Published

2 days ago

July 12, 2026

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A Memorial Tribute to Rosetta Miller-Perry, July 7, 1934 – June 26, 2026

From truth’s bright flame she lit the way, so bold and wise each day,
Her fearless voice inspired us all and never lost its sway.
A Queen Mother crowned by faith, whose love would never cease,
She sowed the seeds of justice well and harvested God’s peace.

She marched where freedom’s banners waved and answered duty’s call,
She stood with King through history’s storms, courageous through them all.
With pen and press she raised our voice for every soul unheard,
She proved that hope is strongest still when carried by the Word.

The Tennessee Tribune became a beacon shining bright,
Its pages told our stories true and championed the right.
She taught that Black lives, dreams, and truths deserved the highest place,
And every headline proudly bore the beauty of our race.

She opened doors for those to come with wisdom, strength, and grace,
She challenged wrong, uplifted youth, and quickened justice’s pace.
Her scholarship and generous heart shall bloom through future years,
Transforming dreams to living hope beyond our grief and tears.

Now Heaven’s presses joyfully proclaim her work complete,
As angels sing and saints arise our Queen Mother to greet.
Though earth now mourns her gentle voice, her light will never pass,
For Rosetta lives forevermore in truth, in love, and in the Black Press.

May Rosetta Miller-Perry’s memory continue to inspire all who believe in truth, justice, freedom, and the enduring mission of the Black Press of America. May her legacy remain a guiding light for generations to come.