The Eugenics Movement

Ruth Clifford Engs, Author. The Eugenics Movement: An Encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group [ABC-CLIO]: Westport Ct, 2005.

Eugenics―the theory that we can improve future generations of humans through selective breeding―was one of the most controversial movements of the early 20th century. Often tied to racist beliefs and nativist desires to limit immigration, the eugenics movement attracted some of the most prominent scientists and social reformers of the day. This encyclopedia brings into one place concise descriptions of the leading figures, organizations, events, legislation, publications, concepts, and terms of this vitally important period historical movement. Although focused on the United States during the heyday of the movement, the encyclopedia includes material on international event as well as connections to important contemporary issues such as genetic engineering, family balancing, and the possibility of human cloning.

The reference covers almost 200 years of history and includes over 250 entries on such topics as:

• Inherited conditions such as alcoholism, prostitution, poverty, and criminality that eugenicists thought could be eliminated by following eugenic methods.
• Concepts such as feeblemindedness, race degeneracy, and race suicide that were pervasive during the era of the eugenics movement.
• Tools that eugenicists relied on, such as laws that allowed forced sterilizations of the unfit in the United States, Nazi Germany, and other countries.

Organizations that encouraged the fit to produce more children.
The continued acceptance of attempts to improve future generations through genetic testing and treatment.

Book Award

College & Research Libraries Selected Reference Works, 2005-2006

Book Reviews

"This book is the kind of solid, rich, well-crafted compendium on a specialized topic that librarians had long been able to expect from Greenwood. Its contents provide the beginning and scholarly user with a broad and authoritative introduction to the topic of eugenics, the science of the improvement of the human race by better breeding...—College & Research Libraries

"Engs has produced a solid treatment of a topic that should be of particular interest to the reading public at large as well as to students of political ideologies, eugenics, genetics, public health, and modern biology. It is difficult to think of another general introduction as comprehensible as this."—Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions

"The information in this unique resource is accurate and current....This is a recommended resource for large public and academic libraries."—Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

"The Eugenics Movement: An Encyclopedia makes a handy and sober guide to the subject....an appropriate selection for public and academic libraries."—Catholic Library World

"[It] … packs in reference entries on different eugenics movements, theories, history, and laws around the world. An intriguing health and social issues title which college-level collections won't want to miss."—MBR Bookwatch

Better Babies Movement

A positive eugenic and public health program, the better babies movement was established to educate parents in adequate child care, hygiene, immunizations, and sanitation during the pre-World War I years. Its goal was to improve children's health and to prevent "racial degeneracy." Prevailing thought was that better care and feeding of infants would produce healthier babies, as had been found with domestic animals. The first Better Babies Contest, to judge the healthiest infants, was held in 1908 at the Louisiana State Fair and started by civic-minded leader Mrs. Frank (Mary) de Garmo (1865-1953). She introduced the idea to Mary T. Watts (d. 1926) who instigated a contest at the Iowa State Fair in 1911. Babies were judge not according to their beauty, but rather according to their health and strength as was found in animal judging contests. In March 1913, the editors of Women's Home Companion, a popular women's magazine, developed a Better Babies Bureau, after being influenced by de Garmo, headed by physician Lydia DeVilbiss. The bureau's goal was to educate mothers in "race betterment" methods through baby contests. It was aimed at social workers and nurses to encourage them to launch contests and educate parents about hygiene, diet, and positive child-rearing techniques for producing healthier children. Most competitions occurred at state and county fairs or urban settlement houses.

These events encouraged mothers to obtain information for the care and feeding of their babies so as to bring them up to the standards of the prize winners. When a physician pointed out baby defects, parents were more receptive to health education messages. In 1915 the Children's Bureau organized a "better babies week" during which all American mothers were encouraged to have their children weighed and measured. In local communities, club women, extension organizations, doctors, ministers, and others organized better baby clinics. Parents were urged to bring their children for free checkups. Better babies contests in the post-World War I years evolved into the Fitter Family campaign where the whole family was judged on overall health. By the late 20th century, baby contests morphed into child beauty pageants with little emphasis on health.

Further information: https://products.abc-clio.com/abc-cliocorporate/product.aspx?pc=B3445C

ISBN - 13: 978-0-313-32791-9
ISBN - Ebook: 978-0-313-06241-4