Gavin Howe
The eugenics movement, which gained popularity in the early 20th century, advocated for racial improvement and planned breeding to perfect the human race. The term eugenics was coined by Francis Galton in 1883, and the ideology drew support from contemporary xenophobia, antisemitism, and scientific racism. The first eugenics law was passed in Indiana in 1907, and in the following decades, various countries enacted eugenics policies, including sterilization, segregation, and marriage restrictions, with particularly cruel treatments inflicted on marginalized communities. Nazi Germany took eugenics to its extreme conclusion, with the sterilization and murder of those deemed unworthy of life, setting the stage for the Holocaust.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Racial Integrity Act |
| Year | 1924 |
| State | Virginia |
| Author | Walter Ashby Plecker |
| Targeted Groups | African Americans, Native Americans, Latinxs, Immigrants |
| Impact | Legalized sterilization, Cemented discrimination, Denied access to healthcare, jobs, education |
| Related Laws | Virginia Sterilization Act, Johnson-Reed Act |
| Supporters | Harvey Jordan, Robert Bean, Edwin Alderman, Paul Popenoe, H.G. Wells |
| Opposition | Thomas Hunt Morgan, Caitlin Snook |
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What You'll Learn
The first racial purity law
The concept of eugenics, or "racial improvement", gained popularity in the early 20th century, with its proponents believing that they could perfect humanity and eliminate social issues through genetics and heredity. The term "eugenics" was coined by Francis Galton, a British statistician, in 1883. He defined it as "the study of agencies under social control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations either physically or mentally".
The first eugenics law in the world was passed in the state of Indiana in 1907, targeting the intellectually disabled. However, the first racial purity law was Virginia's Racial Integrity Act, passed in 1924, which sought to advance white racial purity by banning interracial marriage and adding strict definitions to racial classifications. The act also legalized the sterilization of the mentally ill and persons of low literacy, further cementing discrimination against marginalized communities, including African Americans.
The most well-known application of eugenics occurred in Nazi Germany in the lead-up to World War II and the Holocaust. The Nazis implemented a campaign of forced sterilization and euthanized at least 70,000 adults and 5,200 children. They also passed the Law for the Prevention of Genetically Defective Progeny in 1933, allowing the mass sterilization of those deemed "hereditarily weak".
The impact of eugenics laws and ideologies has been profound and damaging, with continued consequences for marginalized communities. These laws have been rightfully denounced as specious and pseudoscientific, actively dehumanizing individuals to support political agendas.
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The eugenics movement
The term "eugenics" was coined by British scientist Francis Galton in 1883. It is derived from the Greek roots for "good" and "origin," or "good birth." The eugenics movement of the early 1900s aimed to improve the human race by applying principles of genetics and heredity. While it was popular during its time, the movement was ultimately flawed as most of the traits studied by eugenicists had little genetic basis.
In the United States, the eugenics movement gained traction in the early 1900s, led by prominent figures such as biologist Charles Davenport and former teacher and principal Harry Laughlin. Davenport founded the Eugenics Record Office (ERO) in 1910, which collected data on family pedigrees to identify the inheritance of "undesirable" traits. The movement was not confined to academic circles and became a widespread social movement in the 1920s and 1930s. It was supported by leading scientists and political leaders, including President Theodore Roosevelt and Nobel Prize laureate Hermann J. Muller.
The American eugenics movement led to the enactment of laws that mandated the sterilization of thousands of disabled and marginalized individuals in over 30 states. The first sterilization law was passed in Indiana in 1907, followed by California and many other states by 1931. These laws disproportionately affected minority groups, the poor, and people with disabilities. The movement also influenced discriminatory immigration legislation, such as the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924, which excluded Asian immigrants.
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Nazi Germany's role
The application of eugenics in Nazi Germany was the most well-known instance of its use. Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazis used their power to “cleanse” German society of those they deemed "unworthy of life". This resulted in the euthanization of at least 70,000 adults and 5,200 children, as well as a campaign of forced sterilization that affected at least 400,000 people. The Nazis' extreme ideology, which blended racial antisemitism with eugenic theory, led to the near destruction of the Jewish people, as well as the persecution of other marginalized ethnic minorities, such as the Sinti and Roma, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people.
The racial ideology of Nazism centred on the biological improvement of the German people through selective breeding of "Nordic" or "Aryan" traits. These policies were used to justify the involuntary sterilization and mass murder of those deemed "undesirable" or "unproductive". Nazi eugenics was heavily inspired by American eugenics movements, particularly those in California, which had the highest rate of forceful sterilization in the country by 1933. California eugenicists sent literature promoting sterilization and eugenics to German scientists and medical professionals, and the Nazis' forced sterilization program was partly inspired by California's. The Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, founded in Berlin in 1927 with financial support from the American Rockefeller Foundation, was directed by German professor Eugen Fischer, whose work provided the scientific basis for Nazi eugenics policies.
The prominence of eugenics in Germany rose sharply under Adolf Hitler's leadership, when wealthy Nazi supporters began heavily investing in it. Hitler embraced an ideology that blended racial antisemitism with eugenic theory, and his regime provided the context and latitude for the implementation of eugenic measures in their most concrete and radical forms. Hitler believed that the nation had become weak due to the infusion of degenerate elements, and he touted the "Nordic race" as its eugenic ideal. Hitler's regime aimed to mold Germany into a cohesive national community that excluded anyone deemed hereditarily "less valuable" or "racially foreign".
The Nazis implemented public health measures to control reproduction and marriage, aiming to strengthen the "national body" by eliminating biologically threatening genes from the population. Nazi authorities resolved to intervene in the reproductive capacities of persons classified as "hereditarily ill", and one of the first eugenic measures they initiated was the 1933 Law for the Prevention of Offspring with Hereditary Diseases ("Hereditary Health Law"). This law mandated forcible sterilization for nine disabilities and disorders, including schizophrenia and "hereditary feeblemindedness". The Nazis also encouraged "racially acceptable" couples to have as many children as possible, and their Marital Hygiene Law of 1935 banned unions between the "hereditarily healthy" and persons deemed genetically unfit.
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The science behind it
The science behind the first racial purity law, eugenics, has a complex and troubling history. The term "eugenics" was coined in 1883 by British explorer and natural scientist Francis Galton, who was influenced by his cousin Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. Galton defined eugenics as "the study of agencies under social control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations either physically or mentally." He believed that health, disease, and social and intellectual characteristics were based on heredity and the concept of race.
During the late 19th century, a popular eugenics movement emerged in the United Kingdom and spread to other countries, including the United States, where it gained support from contemporary xenophobia, antisemitism, and justifications of slavery. By World War I, many scientific authorities and political leaders had endorsed eugenics. In the US, this included influential figures such as President Theodore Roosevelt, psychologist Henry H. Goddard, and presidents of Stanford and Harvard Universities.
The idea behind eugenics was to select and support the proliferation of "desired" heritable characteristics to improve future generations. This often involved inhibiting the fertility of those considered inferior and promoting the fertility of those deemed superior. Eugenicists targeted marginalized communities, including Latinxs, Native Americans, African Americans, poor whites, and people with disabilities. They advocated for involuntary sterilization, segregation, and social exclusion of these groups, claiming that they were a drain on society.
The most well-known application of eugenics occurred in Nazi Germany leading up to World War II and the Holocaust. The Nazis used eugenics to justify the extermination of Jews, Roma, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups, as well as the sterilization of those deemed "unworthy of life." While eugenics failed as a science in the 1930s and 1940s due to heavy criticism and its association with Nazi atrocities, its legacy continues to impact vulnerable communities today.
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The impact and legacy
The United States
In the United States, the early 20th century saw the flourishing of eugenics movements, with American eugenicists from various fields declaring certain individuals as ""unfit," "feebleminded," or antisocial. This led to the involuntary sterilization of at least 60,000 people across 30 states by the 1970s. Latinxs, Native Americans, African Americans, poor whites, and people with disabilities were disproportionately targeted throughout the century.
The enactment of discriminatory legislation, such as the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924, excluded immigrants from Asia and further entrenched racial discrimination. Additionally, eugenicists influenced the creation of Virginia's Racial Integrity Act in 1924, which legalized sterilization, codified Jim Crow laws, and denied African Americans access to essential services and opportunities. The impact of this law extended beyond Virginia, affecting the entire country.
The legacy of eugenics in the US is still felt today, particularly in Tribal communities. The "paper genocide" initiated by eugenicists has made it challenging for many Tribal communities to document their ancestral lineage, erasing their identities. Additionally, eugenics-inspired fears of "race suicide" and "miscegenation" contributed to the deep connections between slavery and its legacies in the early 20th century.
Nazi Germany
The most well-known application of eugenics occurred in Nazi Germany leading up to World War II and the Holocaust. The Nazi regime sought to "cleanse" German society of those deemed "unworthy of life," resulting in the euthanasia of at least 70,000 adults and 5,200 children. They also implemented forced sterilization campaigns, targeting marginalized groups such as Jews, Sinti and Roma people, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. This culminated in the near destruction of the Jewish population and the attempted elimination of other minority groups.
Combating the Legacy
Recognizing the harmful legacies of eugenics and scientific racism, organizations like the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) have committed to proactively addressing structural racism and combatting the present-day manifestations of these ideologies. The NHGRI, in collaboration with the National Institute of Health, aims to foster an inclusive and welcoming genomics community.
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Frequently asked questions
The first racial purity law, also known as the first sterilisation law, was passed in Indiana, United States, in 1907.
The first racial purity law was the Sterilization Law, which targeted the intellectually disabled.
The first racial purity law led to the sterilisation of at least 60,000 people across 30 states in the United States by the 1970s.
Yes, in 1924, two Virginia eugenics laws were passed: the Virginia Sterilization Act and the Racial Integrity Act. These laws legalised the sterilisation of the mentally ill and those with low literacy, and further marginalised vulnerable communities, including African Americans.
