APPLIED EUGENICS.
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1927. First Edition, Later Printing. Octavo, original dark blue cloth bordered in blind on upper cover, spine panel ruled and lettered in gilt. Originally issued in 1918, with reprints in 1922 (not mentioned), 1927 (twice) and this edition of 1927; the text was later revised in 1933. Pp [i]-[v], vi--xii. 459. With 46 figures (diagrams and plates) throughout the text; Index at rear. Two of the inserted plates are inserted at slightly different pages than on the List of Illustrations (Fig 26, listed as being inserted at p. 168, is on the same plate as Fig 27 on p. 170; Fig 38 is on p. 271 instead of p. 263 as listed); however, the text and plates are all complete. Ink name and date (1929) on front free endpaper; cloth a bit dull and corners slightly knocked, lettering on spine a bit faded; a very good clean copy. Copies of the first, unrevised edition are rare; the original text was revised and re-writted for a "New, Revised Edition" in 1933. Item #313450
¶ ¶ Eugenics, the set of beliefs and practices which aims at improving the genetic quality of the human population, played a significant role in the history and culture of the United States from the late 19th century into the mid-20th century. The cause became increasingly promoted by intellectuals of the Progressive Era.
While ostensibly about improving genetic quality, it has been argued that eugenics was more about preserving the position of the dominant groups in the population. Scholarly research has determined that people who found themselves targets of the eugenics movement were those who were seen as unfit for society—the poor, the disabled, the mentally ill, and specific communities of color—and a disproportionate number of those who fell victim to eugenicists' sterilization initiatives were women who were identified as African American, Asian American, or Native American. As a result, the United States' eugenics movement is now generally associated with racist and nativist elements, as the movement was to some extent a reaction to demographic and population changes, as well as concerns over the economy and social well-being, rather than scientific genetics.
Popenoe & Johnson's APPLIED EUGENICS outlines a eugenics program vision that primarily relied on the segregation of "waste humanity" into rural institutions where they could perfom manual labour to offset the cost of their institutionalization. APPLIED EUGENICS also contains a chapter expounding on the racial inferiority of black people:
"An elementary knowledge of the history of Africa, or the more recent and much-quoted example of Haiti, is sufficient to prove that the Negro's own social heritage is at a level far below that of the whites among whom he is living in the United States.... The Negro race is germinally lacking in the higher developments of intelligence." - 'Applied Eugenics, Chapter XIV, "The Color Line'.
Popenoe also crusaded for the compulsary sterilization of the mentally ill and the "unfit". Popenoe was awarded an honorary Sc.D degree from Occidental College in 1929; this was revoked posthumously by the college board in 2019 with the overwhelming support of the faculty; the college admiting to and apologising for their role in promoting eugenics and racism.
Popenoe also championed and founded Marriage Counselling, being a staunch proponent of "traditional values" and the "married-parent nuclear family". Up until the end of World War II, the theories and policies of Eugenics went hand in hand with his beliefs on 'traditional marriages'; it was only after the revelation of the Nazi holocaust that Eugenics fell out of common favour and Popenoe spent the rest of his career promoting his theories on marriage and marriage counselling, trying to hide the obvious white-supremist and racist roots of Eugenics.
Price (CAD): $325.00