The American Eugenics Society: Difference between revisions
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**Notable donors included John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; Irving Fisher, and George Eastman | **Notable donors included John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; Irving Fisher, and George Eastman | ||
*Its express purpose was to spearhead the Eugenics movement on a national scale. | *Its express purpose was to spearhead the Eugenics movement on a national scale. | ||
*Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the AES promoted its agenda by sponsoring exhibits, lectures, and contests at state and local fairs. | *Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the AES promoted its agenda by sponsoring exhibits, lectures, and contests at state and local fairs. | ||
**Fitter Family Contests pitted family's eugenic history against one another. Judgement included a medical examination for every member of the family that included a psychiatric evaluation. | **Fitter Family Contests pitted family's eugenic history against one another. Judgement included a medical examination for every member of the family that included a psychiatric evaluation. | ||
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***By 1930, more than 40 sponsors were looking to the AES for help in conducting such contests | ***By 1930, more than 40 sponsors were looking to the AES for help in conducting such contests | ||
***The 1924 Kansas State Fair passed out Capper Medals to "Grade A Individuals;" these medals were named after a US Senator Capper | ***The 1924 Kansas State Fair passed out Capper Medals to "Grade A Individuals;" these medals were named after a US Senator Capper | ||
*** | ***This [http://wiki.dickinson.edu/index.php?title=Image:Aes87.jpg family] won the 1925 Texas State Fair | ||
**AES exhibits also included a Flashing Light display which highlighted birth rates of normal and inferior humans | |||
***For example, every 16 seconds a child is born in the US, every 48 seconds seconds that child is feeble-minded, while every 50 seconds that child is a criminal. | |||
*** [http://wiki.dickinson.edu/index.php?title=Image:Aes44.jpg A Flashing Light Exhibit] | |||
*In 1926, the AES sponsored a Eugenic Sermon Contest, which was designed to solidify its Eugenic claims by finding Biblical references and support | |||
**An estimated 300 sermons were inspired by the contest; 60 were submitted for judging. | |||
*With World War II, Nazism, and the rise of cultural determinism, the AES slowly moved away from its negative Eugenic principles, concerning itself more with population control, genetics, and medical genetics. In 1972, it was renamed the Society for the Study of Social Biology. | |||
====Sources==== | ====Sources==== | ||
[1] ''Promoting Eugenics in America'', Treasures of the APS. http://www.amphilsoc.org/library/exhibits/treasures/aes.htm. | |||
[2] Daniel J. Kevles, ''In the Name of Eugenics''. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995. | |||
[3] "Topic: Eugenics Organizations," The Eugenics Archive. http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/topics_fs.pl?theme=19&search=&matches= | |||
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Back to [[Eugenics Societies and Their Influence]] | Back to [[Eugenics Societies and Their Influence]] | ||
Latest revision as of 17:07, 29 April 2009
- Founded in 1923 by Harry Crampton, Harry Laughlin, Madison Grant, and Henry Fairfield Osborn.
- It was a national eugenics society that spawned 28 state committees and a Southern California branch
- By 1930, over 1,200 people were counted among the members.
- Notable donors included John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; Irving Fisher, and George Eastman
- Its express purpose was to spearhead the Eugenics movement on a national scale.
- Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the AES promoted its agenda by sponsoring exhibits, lectures, and contests at state and local fairs.
- Fitter Family Contests pitted family's eugenic history against one another. Judgement included a medical examination for every member of the family that included a psychiatric evaluation.
- Contests were sponsored at 7 to 10 fairs yearly
- By 1930, more than 40 sponsors were looking to the AES for help in conducting such contests
- The 1924 Kansas State Fair passed out Capper Medals to "Grade A Individuals;" these medals were named after a US Senator Capper
- This family won the 1925 Texas State Fair
- AES exhibits also included a Flashing Light display which highlighted birth rates of normal and inferior humans
- For example, every 16 seconds a child is born in the US, every 48 seconds seconds that child is feeble-minded, while every 50 seconds that child is a criminal.
- A Flashing Light Exhibit
- Fitter Family Contests pitted family's eugenic history against one another. Judgement included a medical examination for every member of the family that included a psychiatric evaluation.
- In 1926, the AES sponsored a Eugenic Sermon Contest, which was designed to solidify its Eugenic claims by finding Biblical references and support
- An estimated 300 sermons were inspired by the contest; 60 were submitted for judging.
- With World War II, Nazism, and the rise of cultural determinism, the AES slowly moved away from its negative Eugenic principles, concerning itself more with population control, genetics, and medical genetics. In 1972, it was renamed the Society for the Study of Social Biology.
Sources
[1] Promoting Eugenics in America, Treasures of the APS. http://www.amphilsoc.org/library/exhibits/treasures/aes.htm.
[2] Daniel J. Kevles, In the Name of Eugenics. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995.
[3] "Topic: Eugenics Organizations," The Eugenics Archive. http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/topics_fs.pl?theme=19&search=&matches=
