Governor’s Task Force to Determine the Method of Compensation for Victims of North Carolina’s Eugenics Board

Governor Beverly Perdue established the five-member 'Governor’s Task Force to Determine the Method of Compensation for Victims of North Carolina’s Eugenics Board' on March 8, 2011 with Executive Order No. 83.

The North Carolina Office of Justice for Sterilization Victims, as a Division of the North Carolina Department of Administration, will provide the necessary professional, administrative, and staff support services to the Task Force.

Task Force Duties

The five member panel shall have the following duties:

1. Recommend possible methods or forms of compensation to those persons forcibly sterilized under the North Carolina Eugenics Board program.
2. Evaluate recommendations from previous commissions regarding the North Carolina Eugenics Board program and sterilization victims.
3. Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Governor.

The Task Force shall provide preliminary recommendations to the Governor by August 1, 2011 and a final report by February 1, 2012.

Task Force Membership

Task Force members were appointed by the Governor. Membership consists of the following five positions:

• Former Judge: Fetzer 'Frank' Mills
• Physician: Dr. Laura Gerald, Chairperson
• Former Journalist: Phoebe Zerwick
• Historian: Dr. Lenwood G. Davis
• Attorney: Demetrius Worley Berry

Task Force Meeting Minutes, Presentations & Reports

• Wed, April, 27, 2011
  • Agenda
  • Minutes
  • Presentations:
    • Presentation 1
      History of NC Eugenics & The Role of the Foundation 
      Charmaine S. Fuller Cooper, Executive Director
      NC Office of Justice for Sterilization Victims
    • Presentation 2
      Estimation of Number of Sterilization Victim Survivors 
      Don Akin, Statistician
      State Center for Health Statistics
• Wed, May 25, 2011
  • Agenda 
  • Minutes
  • Presentations
    • Department of Cultural Resources
      by Sarah Koonts - State Collections
      Debbi Blake - State Archives
    • Handout A – Cultural Resources’ Eugenics Collection Finding Aid
      Handout B – Eugenics Board Minutes – October 1950
      Handout C – Eugenics Board Hearing – January 1969
      Handout D – Redacted Patient Case File
      Handout E – Redacted Patient Case File
    • Presentation Handouts
      Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities 
      by Barbara Pullen-Smith, Director 
      Lisa Hodges, Public Health Program Consultant
    • N.C. Office of Justice for Sterilization Victims - Clearinghouse Program
      Charmaine S. Fuller Cooper, Director
      Presentation Handout
• Wed, June 22, 2011 - Public Hearing
  • Agenda
  • Minutes
• Wed, July 13, 2011
  • Agenda
  • Minutes
• Mon, Aug 1, 2011
  • Governor's Eugenics Compensation Task Force Preliminary Report
• Thurs, Oct. 27, 2011
  • Agenda
  • Minutes
• Tues, Dec. 6, 2011
  • Agenda
  • Minutes
  • Task Force Member Reports reviewing possible compensation & other services
  • Eugenics Data by County
• Tues, Jan. 10, 2012
  • Agenda   
• Tues, Jan. 27, 2012
  • Final Task Force Report and Recommendations