Confronting Eugenics and its afterlives at Yale & beyond
An ongoing examination of the history and legacies of eugenics research and advocacy at Yale University, which hosted the American Eugenics Society in the 1920s and 1930s. In solidarity with anti-Eugenics efforts around the globe, we unearth this hidden history in order to realize “the collective creation of an equitable and healthy world for all.”
Eugenic knowledge production was embedded in Yale’s campus
Yale University was a major site of eugenic organizing & research
Yale faculty, alumni and administrators helped found the American Eugenics Society in the 1920s and brought its headquarters to the New Haven Green in 1926. During this time, Yale recruited Eugenics researchers from many disciplines, created new institutes, and supported efforts to build a national Eugenics movement in schools, churches, legislatures, and other institutions. Faculty and administrators in fields including biology, economics, geography, anthropology, psychology, medicine, law, environmental studies led these efforts. Their history is integral to the story of the University.
The graphic on the right identifies some of the Yale professors and administrators who were known eugenicists, illustrating the depth and breadth of Eugenics research and advocacy at Yale.
Image created by Dora Guo (Yale College, 2023)