Alexandra Minna Stern and Natalie Lira: The movement that inspired the Holocaust

The movement that inspired the Holocaust

Since ancient Greece, humans have controlled populations via reproduction, retaining some traits and removing others. But in the 19th century, a new scientific movement dedicated to this endeavor emerged: eugenics. Scientists believed they could improve society by ensuring that only desirable traits were passed down. Alexandra Minna Stern and Natalie Lira detail the history of eugenics in the US. [Directed by Héloïse Dorsan-Rachet, narrated by Christina Greer, music by Stephen LaRosa].

Eugenics, once seen as scientific progress, led to the forced sterilization of tens of thousands in the US, often targeting poor women of color like Andrea Garcia, whose sterilization was decided by a biased IQ test. While Nazi Germany's horrors are infamous, similar eugenics beliefs shaped laws and lives across the globe, including one-third of US sterilizations occurring in California alone. Even after World War II, these practices continued for decades before public outcry and legal action forced change.