Advertisement

Dr Joseph Spencer DeJarnette

Advertisement

Dr Joseph Spencer DeJarnette

Birth
Spotsylvania County, Virginia, USA
Death
3 Sep 1957 (aged 90)
Staunton City, Virginia, USA
Burial
Warm Springs, Bath County, Virginia, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Suggest Edits
Eugenicist. He was the director of the Western State Hospital of Virginia, the namesake of the DeJarnette Sanatorium (now the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents), and a proponent and practitioner of compulsory sterilization.

Dr. DeJarnette was born in Virginia. He became the director of the Western State Hospital in 1905, a position he would hold until 1943. As an outspoken supporter of compulsory sterilization of the mentally ill, Dr. DeJarnette used his position to influence politicians to support the policy, which helped lead to the passing of the Virginia Sterilization Act of 1924. During his tenure at the Western State Hospital, Dr. DeJarnette had thousands involuntarily sterilized. He also testified against Carrie Buck at her Supreme Court trial, which resulted in her sterilization.

Dr. DeJarnette's lobbying on behalf of eugenics influenced the German Nazi Party's ideology. When the Nazis came to power, they implemented eugenic policies that extended farther than American policies. Dr. DeJarnette famously commented in 1934, "The Germans are beating us at our own game."
Eugenicist. He was the director of the Western State Hospital of Virginia, the namesake of the DeJarnette Sanatorium (now the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents), and a proponent and practitioner of compulsory sterilization.

Dr. DeJarnette was born in Virginia. He became the director of the Western State Hospital in 1905, a position he would hold until 1943. As an outspoken supporter of compulsory sterilization of the mentally ill, Dr. DeJarnette used his position to influence politicians to support the policy, which helped lead to the passing of the Virginia Sterilization Act of 1924. During his tenure at the Western State Hospital, Dr. DeJarnette had thousands involuntarily sterilized. He also testified against Carrie Buck at her Supreme Court trial, which resulted in her sterilization.

Dr. DeJarnette's lobbying on behalf of eugenics influenced the German Nazi Party's ideology. When the Nazis came to power, they implemented eugenic policies that extended farther than American policies. Dr. DeJarnette famously commented in 1934, "The Germans are beating us at our own game."

Family Members

Parents
Spouse
Siblings

Sponsored by Ancestry

Advertisement

See more DeJarnette memorials in:

Flower Delivery Sponsor and Remove Ads

Explore more

Advertisement