Final answer:
The involuntary sterilization of African Americans, Native Americans, criminals, and the mentally ill falls under the eugenics-based forced sterilization efforts in early to mid-20th century America. This dark period in history was characterized by efforts to improve societal genetics and resulted in abusive practices like forced hysterectomies, referred to by Fannie Lou Hamer as a 'Mississippi appendectomy,' and discriminatory laws such as marriage prohibitions for those with perceived hereditary defects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon where African Americans, Native Americans, criminals, and the mentally ill were involuntarily sterilized is known as eugenics-based forced sterilization. These forced sterilization programs were part of the eugenics movement in the United States, which sought to prevent certain populations from reproducing based on the mistaken belief that it would improve societal genetic quality.
Fannie Lou Hamer called out the practice when referring to her own forced hysterectomy as a 'Mississippi appendectomy.' This practice was disturbingly common and disproportionately targeted communities of color, contributing to a long-standing mistrust in the healthcare system by African Americans and other marginalized groups.
Eugenics policies not only influenced the forced sterilization of individuals but also informed broader discriminatory practices such as marriage prohibition laws against those deemed to have hereditary 'defects.' The infamous Buck v. Bell case in 1927 set a horrific precedent for such actions, enabling this practice to continue for many years.