1894 Puck magazine cover shows a well-dressed old man wearing a
top hat and spats, lying on his back, bouncing the earth on his
feet. A doctor's bag is in the foreground next to a weeping
cherub. Photo Courtesy of the Library of Congress The number of
victims is unknown in Virginia’s system of forced sterilization,
a dark chapter that stretched from the 1920s into the 1970s.
Estimates range from 7,500 to 8,000 — an indication that many
survivors could still be alive today. That’s why Del. Patrick
Hope (D-47) wants the governor and General Assembly to put
together a task force to track down survivors and determine just
compensation. “Most people equate this with Nazi Germany,” said
Hope. “But, in fact, it originated right here in the
commonwealth of Virginia.” Hope said he was inspired by an
effort in North Carolina, where the state government is
considering a $10 million package to compensate victims of
forced sterilization. That effort has the support of Democratic
Gov. Beth Perdue and the Republican-led Hou