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 Harry Laughlin (1880-1943) was one of the most important figures in the history of the American eugenics movement. He began his career as a high school teacher in Iowa but eventually earned a doctorate in biology at Princeton University. In 1911 Charles Davenport, the Director of the Eugenics Record Office (ERO), appointed Laughlin as the superintendent of the center. In this position Laughlin developed a national and international reputation for his success in lobbying for the passage of state sterilization statues and the federal Immigration Restriction Act of 1924.
Laughlin exchanged ideas with German eugenicists during the 1920s and 1930s. He was frequently cited and quoted in German publications during this time period. In 1936 Laughlin was awarded an honorary degree from the Nazis for his work in eugenics. Eventually, he was forced to resign from the ERO after the Carnegie Foundation withdrew funding from the center because of its political lobbying and flawed scientific research.
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