RALEIGH -- The second disbursement of $15,000 has been made to victims of the Eugenics Board of North Carolina.

“This second check represents the next step in making amends for one of the darkest chapters in our history," Governor Pat McCrory said in a press release. “No amount of money can undo the harm that occurred, but it is my hope that this compensation will give victims some measure of solace, comfort and vindication.”

These disbursements follow an initial payment of $20,000 delivered to recipients in October 2014, with a third and final disbursement to be made after appeals have been decided. Each qualified victim is expected to receive a total payment of approximately $50,000, which was made possible when Governor McCrory signed the 2013 budget bill that included funding championed by former Representative Larry Womble, former Speaker of the House Thom Tillis, Representative Paul Stam and other legislators.

From 2013 to present, the McCrory Administration worked to identify and compensate victims of the Eugenics Board of North Carolina. Approximately 213 victims have qualified for compensation under the Eugenics Compensation Program. The program included a $10 million appropriation to be divided equally among qualified victims. These funds were contained in the 2013-2014 state budget and additional legislation passed in 2014 and 2015 advanced the timeline for the first two disbursements.