Eugenics, Citizenship, and Immigration

“There is an irreconcilable resistance to amalgamation and social equality that cannot be ignored.”

-Representative Clarence F. Lea, 1924

Immigration

Peaked during the Progressive Era (1890-1914) Before 1890: immigration primarily from

Northwestern Europe (Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Germany, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Holland)

1890-1914: South and Eastern Europe (Austria-Hungary, Italy, Russia, Greece, Romania, Turkey)

Majority were non-Protestant, spoke unfamiliar languages

Peaked during the Progressive Era (1890-1914) Before 1890: immigration primarily from

Northwestern Europe (Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Germany, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Holland)

1890-1914: South and Eastern Europe (Austria-Hungary, Italy, Russia, Greece, Romania, Turkey)

Majority were non-Protestant, spoke unfamiliar languages

How Immigrants Were Viewed

Competition for jobs, housing, and public services

Threatened prosperous Americans by crowding the largest cities

Bred “crime and disease;” caused social problems instead of being the victims of them

Competition for jobs, housing, and public services

Threatened prosperous Americans by crowding the largest cities

Bred “crime and disease;” caused social problems instead of being the victims of them

Definition of Citizenship

After the Civil War, “whites” and “persons of African descent” were eligible for citizenship

In some cases, everyone not black was considered white, but Takao Ozawa, a Japanese immigrant, was

denied citizenship by the Supreme Court in 1922 because he was “white” but not “Caucasian”

The Supreme Court also denied citizenship from Singh Thind, a Hindu, because he was “Caucasian” but not “white”

After the Civil War, “whites” and “persons of African descent” were eligible for citizenship

In some cases, everyone not black was considered white, but Takao Ozawa, a Japanese immigrant, was

denied citizenship by the Supreme Court in 1922 because he was “white” but not “Caucasian”

The Supreme Court also denied citizenship from Singh Thind, a Hindu, because he was “Caucasian” but not “white”

Eugenicists’ Goals

Stop the decline of American intelligence “insure a…progressive upward evolution” Define citizenship based on race Stop the immigration of Eastern Europeans

and others “polluting” America Prevent the immigration of anyone who

“might prove costly to society”

Stop the decline of American intelligence “insure a…progressive upward evolution” Define citizenship based on race Stop the immigration of Eastern Europeans

and others “polluting” America Prevent the immigration of anyone who

“might prove costly to society”

Supporters of Immigration Restriction

Boston-based Immigration Restriction League; pushed for immigrants to pass a literacy test

President Calvin Coolidge; “Restricted immigration is not an offensive but purely a defensive action.” —1924

Boston-based Immigration Restriction League; pushed for immigrants to pass a literacy test

President Calvin Coolidge; “Restricted immigration is not an offensive but purely a defensive action.” —1924

Direct Causes of Restriction

“Outbreaks of smallpox, typhus and cholera in New York” increase scrutiny of immigrants

Fear of spies and the openness of borders creates anxiety during WWI

A statement by Leon Kamaiky that essentially said 3 million Polish Jews would come to America if given the means

“Outbreaks of smallpox, typhus and cholera in New York” increase scrutiny of immigrants

Fear of spies and the openness of borders creates anxiety during WWI

A statement by Leon Kamaiky that essentially said 3 million Polish Jews would come to America if given the means

Strategies of Eugenicists

Used “graphs, pedigree charts, and the results of hundreds of IQ tests” to provide shocking scientific evidence

Use graphics, such as pictures from Ellis Island Call immigrants degrading names, such as

“Carriers of the Germ Plasm of the Future American Population”

A Study of American Intelligence by Carl Brigham, which provided a “scientific rationale”

Used “graphs, pedigree charts, and the results of hundreds of IQ tests” to provide shocking scientific evidence

Use graphics, such as pictures from Ellis Island Call immigrants degrading names, such as

“Carriers of the Germ Plasm of the Future American Population”

A Study of American Intelligence by Carl Brigham, which provided a “scientific rationale”

Harry Laughlin

Used statistics, charts, graphics, etc. from the ERO to present the immigration problem to the House Committee on Immigration

Appointed Expert Eugenics Agent by the committee

Influenced Representatives to oppose immigration

Used statistics, charts, graphics, etc. from the ERO to present the immigration problem to the House Committee on Immigration

Appointed Expert Eugenics Agent by the committee

Influenced Representatives to oppose immigration

Challengers to the Eugenicists

Herbert Spencer Jennings Testified before Congress about Laughlin’s

flawed statistics; testimony cut short Ignored in favor of Laughlin’s “lurid findings”

Representative Adolph J. Sabath Argued for assimilation in a Congressional

debate Dr. Frederick Lam

Worked to convince officials that liver fluke, a common disease among Chinese immigrants, was noncommunicable

Herbert Spencer Jennings Testified before Congress about Laughlin’s

flawed statistics; testimony cut short Ignored in favor of Laughlin’s “lurid findings”

Representative Adolph J. Sabath Argued for assimilation in a Congressional

debate Dr. Frederick Lam

Worked to convince officials that liver fluke, a common disease among Chinese immigrants, was noncommunicable

Immigration Policies

Immigration Restriction Act of 1924 Scale the number of immigrants down by

allowing only 2% of each group’s population in the US according to the census of 1890

Reduced quota of Southern and Eastern Europeans from 45% to 15%

Coolidge rallied support with his slogan “America must remain American”

Deportation of foreigners with ailments, even non-communicable diseases

Immigration Restriction Act of 1924 Scale the number of immigrants down by

allowing only 2% of each group’s population in the US according to the census of 1890

Reduced quota of Southern and Eastern Europeans from 45% to 15%

Coolidge rallied support with his slogan “America must remain American”

Deportation of foreigners with ailments, even non-communicable diseases

Effects of These Policies

Immigration from Asia and Africa is essentially cut off

Source of immigrants returns to former areas

Ends the era of the most immigration in history

Immigration from Asia and Africa is essentially cut off

Source of immigrants returns to former areas

Ends the era of the most immigration in history

Modern Repercussions

Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 replaces the racism of the 1924 act

New system “gives preferences to refugees…people with relatives in the United States, and workers with needed skills

Only 16% of foreign-born people now come from Europe

Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 replaces the racism of the 1924 act

New system “gives preferences to refugees…people with relatives in the United States, and workers with needed skills

Only 16% of foreign-born people now come from Europe

Sources

“The Self Made Man” Harry Laughlin Pie Charts Immigrant Picture Social Origins of Eugenics Race and Membership in American

History: The Eugenics Movement

“The Self Made Man” Harry Laughlin Pie Charts Immigrant Picture Social Origins of Eugenics Race and Membership in American

History: The Eugenics Movement