Pure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia Free Audiobook Download by Elizabeth Catte

Pure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia by Elizabeth Catte tells the complete story of the eugenics movement in Virginia, tracing its origins and impact. From the early 1900s to the 1950s, Catte writes, Virginia was at the forefront of eugenic thinking which was a nationwide effort to create a "perfect" society. The book covers everything from sterilization initiatives to segregation and internment camps.

In her book, Elizabeth Catte reveals the historical basis of a social movement that helped create what we now call "American exceptionalism," a state of mind that has led to some of the most difficult and controversial issues facing the country today.

Eugenics is the practice of improving the genetic quality of a human population. The term was coined by Francis Galton in 1883, and became an important part of many twentieth-century eugenic philosophies involving social stratification. Eugenics had been practiced for centuries before Galton's idea and continued to be influential in popular thought well into the 20th century.

Pure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia is a historical novel set in Charlottesville, Virginia. It is about the consequences of eugenics on an entire community.

Elizabeth Catte's book "Pure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia" tells of the rise of eugenics in the 1920s and 1930s, when white Americans were encouraged to create a healthier, more "fitter," and more "fit for purpose" population. It was an era when eugenics programs were not just scientific but philosophical as well, with states setting aside resources for sterilization and birth control.

Elizabeth Catte's book "Pure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia" is an excellent, detailed account of how eugenics shaped modern Virginia. The author traces the development of eugenics through early-20th century Virginia to explain how these ideas influenced public policy, reproductive practices and ultimately led to a racially ordered society.