North Carolina Eugenics Board Victims Fight For Justice (VIDEO): Between 1929 and 1974, North Carolina sterilized more than 7,600 individuals in the name of 'improving' the state's human stock. By the time the program was halted, the majority of those neutered were young, black, poor women – like Riddick.
In many ways, Riddick's has become the face of the movement to compensate victims of what most now acknowledge as a dark, misguided era in the state's – and nation's – past. From her decision to sue the state in federal court nearly four decades ago to this most recent baring of her soul, she has refused to simply fade from view.
Instead, the 57-year-old Riddick has become an inspiration to other survivors of the state's eugenics program.
One of them is Australia Clay, whose mother was sterilized, and who, following Riddick to the podium, tells her how lucky she was to have had Tony – no matter how violently he was conceived.
