Eugenics played a significant role in the spread and institutionalization of Jim Crow laws in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Eugenics is a pseudo-scientific theory that promotes the idea of "racial purity" and seeks to improve the genetic quality of a population by encouraging the reproduction of those deemed to have desirable traits while discouraging the reproduction of those deemed to have undesirable traits. This theory was used to justify discriminatory policies and laws against minority groups, particularly African Americans.
At the turn of the 20th century, eugenicists advocated for the sterilization of individuals deemed to have "undesirable" traits, including those with mental illness, disabilities, and criminal tendencies. Many of these eugenicists believed that African Americans were inherently inferior and therefore should be prevented from reproducing in order to improve the genetic quality of the American population. This belief was used to justify the implementation of Jim Crow laws, which institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans in many areas of public life.
For example, eugenicists argued that African Americans were more prone to criminal behavior and therefore should be subject to harsher punishment and surveillance. This belief was used to justify the creation of separate and unequal justice systems for African Americans, such as the convict lease system in which African American prisoners were leased out to work on plantations and other businesses. Eugenicists also argued that African Americans were more prone to disease and therefore should be separated from the rest of the population to prevent the spread of illness. This belief was used to justify the segregation of schools, hospitals, and other public facilities.
Overall, eugenics played a significant role in the spread and institutionalization of Jim Crow laws in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. The theory was used to justify discriminatory policies and laws against African Americans and other minority groups, perpetuating a legacy of racism and discrimination that continues to impact American society today.