Women of Color and Eugenics Erasure in the Holocaust Era
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Heather Gonzalez
CoPIs:
Marylyn Madu, Midina Jean Phillipe
College:
College of Liberal Arts
Major:
Psychology
Faculty Research Advisor(s):
Adara Goldberg, Sarah Coykendall
Abstract:
Eugenics, which stems from the Greek word “eugenes” meaning “good in birth”, can be traced to the 1800s United Kingdom with the idea spreading to nations including the United States in the 20th century. The nature of eugenics stems from white supremacist ideology and, in an effort to control the population, marginalized communities were often the subject of forced sterilization as a form of eugenics. This idea was revolutionary for racist ideology and powered through Nazi Germany in the 1930s to 1940s. Despite the origins of eugenics, it is most popularly studied in relation to the Holocaust, resulting in limited information available on the impact this practice had on women of color in the United States. This research project hopes to bring awareness to the erasure of eugenic practices on women of color due to the primary scholarly focus of the practice’s application during the Holocaust. This research seeks to understand the parallel approach sparked by the United States’ influence and the lasting impact on women of color in today’s society.