The Women of reform: Kansas eugenics

Abstract

The question this research sought to answer was what made Kansas eugenics unique and in what ways was it representative of eugenics throughout the nation. The main problem in studying the history of the eugenics movement in Kansas is the state's own unwillingness to acknowledge such a past exists. The documentation exists within archives throughout the state for researchers who are willing to hunt for it, but the many of sources are buried or not readily accessible. For example, the personal papers of Dr. Florence Sherbon, arguably one of the most significant eugenicists in the state, have been sanitized to remove all traces of eugenics. Sources exist within her personal papers, however, that when carefully read reveal Dr. Sherbon's mentality, which allowed her to support eugenics so enthusiastically. The most interesting discovery of this research was the role that women played in Kansas eugenics. Eugenics is often considered an issue of racial history, which it admittedly is. But the findings of this research show that it was also a significant issue of gender history. The issue of gender played out in many ways in the state of Kansas, some predictable, others peculiar. The fact that the story of eugenics in Kansas can be neatly framed by two female figures, Dr. Florence Sherbon, and Congresswoman Kathryn McCarthy, is revealing. At the same time, Kansas was the only state in the country which statistically sterilized more men than women. Gender is a complex issue when it comes to Kansas eugenics and it is at the forefront of this research