The exhibit “American Eugenics: The Institutions” provides a comprehensive overview of eugenic sterilization’s geographical spread. Before exploring the exhibit on HistoryPin, please examine the following map that shows the legal status of involuntary sterilization in each state.
State information from http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/
Color Code
Red: States that had eugenics-based legislation providing for compulsory sterilization
Orange: States that had eugenics-based legislation providing for compulsory sterilization, but did not perform any operations
Gray: States that never had compulsory sterilization laws, even though, several of these states still performed these surgeries
The wide geographical distribution of sterilization programs demonstrates how eugenics served as an extremely influential scientific discipline during the early twentieth century. Thus, these widespread policies inflicted substantial pain and trauma on victims throughout the country.
To explore the exhibit, which highlights several locations where institutions performed involuntary sterilizations, please click on the following link:
Citations
Alabama
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Alabama,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/AL/AL.html.
“Partlow State School,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Partlow_State_School.
California
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “California,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/CA/CA.html.
Wendy Kline, Building a Better Race: Gender, Sexuality, and Eugenics from the Turn of the Century to the Baby Boom (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2001), 30-33 and 53.
“Sonoma State Home,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Sonoma_State_Home.
Connecticut
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Connecticut,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/CT/CT.html.
“Norwich State Hospital,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Norwich_State_Hospital.
Georgia
“Central State Hospital,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Central_State_Hospital.
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Georgia,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/GA/GA.html.
Indiana
Fort Wayne Developmental Center,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Fort_Wayne_Developmental_Center.
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Indiana,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/IN/IN.html.
Kansas
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Kansas,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/KS/KS.html.
“Winfield State Hospital,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Winfield_State_Hospital.
Michigan
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Michigan,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/MI/MI.html.
“Lapeer State Home,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Lapeer_State_Home.
Minnesota
“Faribault State School,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Faribault_State_School.
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Minnesota,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/MN/MN.html.
Mississippi
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Mississippi,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/MS/MS.html.
“Mississippi State Hospital,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Mississippi_State_Hospital.
Montana
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Montana,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/MT/MT.html.
“Montana State Hospital,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Montana_State_Hospital.
New Hampshire
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “New Hampshire,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/NH/NH.html.
“Laconia State School,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Laconia_State_School.
North Carolina
“Caswell Developmental Center,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Caswell_Developmental_Center.
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “North Carolina,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/NC/NC.html.
The State of Eugenics: The Story of Americans Sterilized Against Their Will , dir. Dawn Sinclair Shapiro, Brown Doggy Pictures, 2017, accessed April 8, 2020, https://www.kanopy.com/product/state-eugenics.
North Dakota
“Grafton State School,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Grafton_State_School.
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “North Dakota,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/ND/ND.html.
Oregon
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Oregon,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/OR/OR.html.
“Oregon State Hospital,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Oregon_State_Hospital.
Virginia
Lutz Kaelber, ed., “Virginia,” Eugenics: Compulsory Sterilization in 50 American States, http://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/VA/VA.html.
Paul A. Lombardo, Three Generations, No Imbeciles: Eugenics, the Supreme Court, and Buck v. Bell (Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 2008).
Records of the Central Virginia Training Center, c. 1990s-2000s, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
The Lynchburg Story: Eugenic Sterilization in America , Dir. Stephen Trombley, Worldview Pictures, 1993, YouTube video, posted May 1, 2018, accessed March 1, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51nRsof66Z0.
“Virginia State Epileptic Colony,” Asylum Projects, http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Virginia_State_Epileptic_Colony.
American Eugenics 
