From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Heredity Commission
Heredity Commission
The Heredity Commission was a eugenic advisory group
to the government of the United States of America dur-
References
ing the early 20th century. It was founded in 1906 by Wil- [1] A. F. Troyer, and H. Stoehr. "Willet M. Hays, Great
let M. Hays (1), Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and Benefactor to Plant Breeding and the Founder of
president and founder of the American Breeders’ Associ- Our Association". Journal of Heredity (2003)
ation (ABA)[1] 94(6):435-441. [1] accessed Oct 7, 2008
Hays selected scientists who were members of the [2] ^ The New York Times (May 20, 1906). "The
ABA. The purpose of the commission was "to investigate "Heredity Commission."". The New York Times.
all proper means" of influencing heredity to "better the http://query.nytimes.com/gst/
race". It aimed to increase "families of good blood" and to abstract.html?res=9F06E7D6113EE733A25753C2A9639C946797D6CF
discourage the "vicious elements in the cross-bred Amer- [3] Harry Bruinius. "Author Interview".
ican civilization."[2] The commission was also asked to http://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/
study if "a new species of human being could be con- full/index.cfm?author_number=1262. Retrieved
sciously evolved."[3] October 7, 2008.
Note
1. The name of the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture is
listed as William Hayes by the 1906 New York Times
article.[2]
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heredity_Commission&oldid=429861705"
Categories:
• Eugenics
• History of the United States government
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