Marvin Warren "Henry" Aldridge (April 27, 1923 – February 2, 2002) was a dentist and member of the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...

. A native of

Craven County, North Carolina Craven County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 100,720. Its county seat is New Bern. The county was created in 1705 as Archdale Precinct from the now-extinct Bath County. It was renamed ...

, he moved to Greenville in the 1940s, and obtained his undergraduate degree from

East Carolina University East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...

(ECU). He received his dental degree from the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry in 1950.(21 April 1995)
N.C. Legislator Says Rape Victims Don't Get Pregnant
''The Mount Airy News''(5 February 2002)
Former N.C. Representative Dead at 78
''The Robesonian'' (longer version of AP obituary article)(3 February 2002)
Marvin W. Aldridge
''Greenville Daily Reflector'' Aldridge practiced as a dentist in

Greenville, North Carolina Greenville is the county seat of and the most populous city in Pitt County, North Carolina, Pitt County, North Carolina, United States; the principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area, Greenville metropolitan area; and th ...

for 50 years. Aldridge served on the Greenville City Council for a number of terms, and was elected to the North Carolina House (Ninth District) in 1994, defeating Democratic incumbent Charles McLawhorn.(6 July 1995)
IN WAKE OF ALDRIDGE'S COMMENTS, GROUP WORKS TO STOP RE-ELECTION
''

Virginian Pilot ''The Virginian-Pilot'' is the daily newspaper for Norfolk, Virginia. Commonly known as ''The Pilot'', it is Virginia's largest daily. It serves the five cities of South Hampton Roads as well as several smaller towns across southeast Virginia ...

'' He achieved notoriety in 1995 when he asserted that rape victims could not get pregnant. In the context of a debate regarding whether the state should stop funding abortions for poor women, he stated, "The facts show that people who are raped, who are truly raped, the juices don't flow, the body functions don't work, and they don't get pregnant."(21 April 1995)
Lawmaker Says Rape Can't Cause Pregnancy
'' San Francisco Chronicle'' (Associated Press story)(26 April 1995)
ALDRIDGE REMARK HAS LIFE OF ITS OWN, STATE LAWMAKER'S COMMENTS DRAW REACTION IN TALK SHOWS, MEDIA NATIONWIDE
''

Charlotte Observer ''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American English-language newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. As of 2020, it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. I ...

'' He later stated that his comments were "stupid." Aldridge's 1995 comments were revisited in August 2012, in light of

controversy Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. The word was coined from the Latin ''controversia'', as a composite of ''controversus'' – "turned in an opposite d ...

surrounding U.S. Senate Candidate Todd Akin's similar comments.(20 August 2012)
Examining The Truth About Rape And Pregnancy
'' National Public Radio'' He was re-elected to his seat in 1996. In 1998, Aldridge also received some press attention when, noting a report that non-white infant mortality rates were nearly twice as high as for white infants, commented that he doubted the report "because it seems that most of the black people I know are bigger and tougher and stronger than whites." Aldridge said afterwards that his comments were intended to be complimentary, as "Black men are generally bigger, strong, better athletes. I would suggest that you take a look at the professional baseball, basketball, and football teams."(27 January 199
Death states don't match legislator's stereotypes
'' Wilmington Star-News''(3 February 1998)
Aldridge Won't Let Facts Get In The Way
''Mount Airy News'' Aldridge retired from office in 1998, after losing to Democratic candidate

Marian N. McLawhorn Marian Nelson McLawhorn is an American politician and former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly, representing Pitt County's 9th House district from 1999 to 2013. A resident of Grifton, North Carolina, McLawhorn served seve ...

in the 1998 election.Hunt, Jenna (22 October 2002)
Eagle hopes to soar above incumbent McLawhorn
''Daily Reflector'' ("she defeated incumbent Republican Henry Aldridge in 1998") He died at age 78 on February 2, 2002.(5 February 2002)
Deaths Elsewhere: Marvin Warren Aldridge, North Carolina Lawmaker
''

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper. It is also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely distributed. It is currently o ...

'' Aldridge was also very active in community organizations, serving as president of the Pitt-Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Greenville Lion's Club, Greenville Boy's Club, and Greenville Little League. He also served as president of the ECU Alumni Association.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldridge, Henry 1923 births 2002 deaths Republican Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives People from Greenville, North Carolina East Carolina University alumni 21st-century American dentists North Carolina city council members Medical College of Virginia alumni People from Craven County, North Carolina 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American dentists