90 Years Later, VT Lawmakers Propose Eugenics Survey Apology
An article in VTDigger, written by Amanda Gokee
First published Feb. 21, 2021
A eugenics survey in Vermont sought to “breed a better Vermonter” by sterilizing and institutionalizing Indigenous people, French-Canadians, and people who were mixed-race, poor or disabled.
Ninety years after the 1931 survey got underway, lawmakers are proposing an official apology for the state-supported program that tore families apart.
Abenaki people in Vermont say the ripple effects of the eugenics movement are still felt today and an apology from the state is an important step in repairing the relationship.