In Killing Black Innocents, Elisha J. Israel argues that throughout American history there has been an ongoing program to manipulate the rate of African American reproduction. He maintains that during the slavery era there were significant efforts to drastically increase the numbers of slaves through rape and slave breeding for the purpose monetary gain. Israel goes on to argue that following emancipation the agenda has been to reduce the black population through compulsory sterilization, long-term contraceptives, and abortion. This work unearths a largely buried history of reproduction abuse and in frank terms describes the effects of African American complicity in this program (e.g. approximately a number equivalent to 25% of the black population decimated through abortion). This sobering account not only gives a voice to those who have been exploited by slave masters, medical professionals, and government officials; it is a passionate cry in defense of black innocents.
