‘Imbeciles’ Explores Legacy Of Eugenics In America

‘Imbeciles’ Explores Legacy Of Eugenics In America

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

Adam Cohen’s new book tells the story of the 1927 Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell. The ruling permitted the state of Virginia to sterilize an “imbecile” — a scientific term of the day. Cohen discusses the decision, and its legacy, with NPR’s Robert Siegel.

Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit NPR.