Estabrook's "study" on a community in Amherst County is certainly a
clear example of the application of white supremacist and eugenic ideas
to anthropological study. I think, even at the time it was published, it
drew some early criticism from other scholars in the field who were
coming to question those assumptions. Dr. Plecker was certainly not
alone in his views--he was just the most prominent official agent
carrying them out. White supremacy and eugenics were part of Virginia
Law and social policy. See a new work, which has a large chapter on
Virginia, on the subject: Edwin Black, War Against the Weak: Eugenics
and America's Campaign to Create a Master Race.

Jim Hershman
[log in to unmask] wrote:

>The book was at the Swem Library at the Collge of W & M in Williamsburg, 10
>years ago when I read it all in one afternoon.  Much more revealing of the
>people that wrote it then the folks they appeared to be discussing.  It does point
>to my earlier posting that Plecker was not alone.   I have no idea whether or
>not it is available on interlibrary loan.
>
>Selma Stewart
>
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