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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Dight was born in [[Mercer, Pennsylvania]] and graduated from the [[University of Michigan Medical School]] in 1879. He was a health officer in [[Holton, Michigan]] from 1879-1881. He then worked at the university under professor [[Alonzo B. Palmer]]. Dight taught at the [[American University of Beirut]] (1883-1889). Upon returning to the United States, he was the resident physician and teacher of physiology and hygiene at the [[Shattuck-Saint Mary's|Shattuck School]] in [[Faribault, Minnesota]]. He later taught at the medical school at [[Hamline University]] which became part of the [[University of Minnesota]] in 1907. In 1914, Dight was a member of the [[Socialist Party of Minnesota]] when he was elected an alderman from 12th district of [[Minneapolis]], which he represented until 1918.<ref name="mnhspapers">{{cite web|url=http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/P1628.xml?return=q%3D%2522public%2520ownership%2520party%2522|title=CHARLES FREMONT DIGHT: An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society|publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society]]|accessdate=14 April 2016}}</ref> During his time in office, Dight was instrumental in passing an ordinance requiring the pasteurization of milk.<ref name="Phelps">{{cite news|url=http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/49/v49i03p099-108.pdf|title=The Eugenics Crusade of Charles Fremont Dight|last=Phelps|first=Gary|date=Fall 1984|publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society]]|accessdate=14 April 2016}}</ref> He left the Socialist Party in 1917, prior to beginning his eugenics efforts.<ref name="Phelps"/>
Dight was born in [[Mercer, Pennsylvania]] and graduated from the [[University of Michigan Medical School]] in 1879. He was a health officer in [[Holton, Michigan]] from 1879-1881. He then worked at the university under professor [[Alonzo B. Palmer]]. Dight taught at the [[American University of Beirut]] (1883-1889). Upon returning to the United States, he was the resident physician and teacher of physiology and hygiene at the [[Shattuck-Saint Mary's|Shattuck School]] in [[Faribault, Minnesota]]. He later taught at the medical school at [[Hamline University]] which became part of the [[University of Minnesota]] in 1907. Dight was a member of the [[Socialist Party of Minnesota]],and was an alderman from 12th district of [[Minneapolis]], from 1914 to 1918.<ref name="mnhspapers">{{cite web|url=http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/P1628.xml?return=q%3D%2522public%2520ownership%2520party%2522|title=CHARLES FREMONT DIGHT: An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society|publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society]]|accessdate=14 April 2016}}</ref> During his time in office, Dight was instrumental in passing an ordinance requiring the pasteurization of milk.<ref>Welter, Ben, [https://www.startribune.com/oct-14-1914-dight-avenue-s-hitler-connection/153894385/ "Yesterday's News: Oct. 14, 1914: Dight Avenue's Hitler connection"], ''[[Minneapolis Star Tribune]]''.</ref><ref name="Phelps">{{cite news|url=http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/49/v49i03p099-108.pdf|title=The Eugenics Crusade of Charles Fremont Dight|last=Phelps|first=Gary|date=Fall 1984|publisher=[[Minnesota Historical Society]]|accessdate=14 April 2016}}</ref> He left the Socialist Party in 1917, prior to beginning his eugenics efforts.<ref name="Phelps"/>


Dight became a proponent of eugenics during the 1920s. He founded the [[Minnesota Eugenics Society]] in 1923 and persuaded the Minnesota legislature to pass a [[Sterilization (medicine)|sterilization]] law in 1925.<ref name=Buchanan /> When he died in 1938, he gave his estate to the [[University of Minnesota]] to create the Dight Institute for Eugenics Research.<ref name=Buchanan /> The institute was renamed the [[Dight Institute for the Promotion of Human Genetics]] and was in operation until the late 1960s when it was divested, and later closed in the 1990s.<ref name=Buchanan /> Dight actively pursued the same type of eugenics as [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] medicine.<ref name="Phelps"/> In 1933, Dight wrote a letter to [[Adolf Hitler]] praising his efforts to "stamp out mental inferiority."<ref>{{cite web|title=Letter to Hitler from Charles Dight|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724235202/http://chgs.umn.edu/histories/letterHitler.pdf|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|accessdate=15 May 2021}}</ref>
Dight became a proponent of eugenics during the 1920s. He founded the [[Minnesota Eugenics Society]] in 1923 and persuaded the Minnesota legislature to pass a [[Sterilization (medicine)|sterilization]] law in 1925.<ref name=Buchanan /> When he died in 1938, he gave his estate to the [[University of Minnesota]] to create the Dight Institute for Eugenics Research.<ref name=Buchanan /> The institute was renamed the [[Dight Institute for the Promotion of Human Genetics]] and was in operation until the late 1960s when it was divested, and later closed in the 1990s.<ref name=Buchanan /> Dight actively pursued the same type of eugenics as [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] medicine.<ref name="Phelps"/> In 1933, Dight wrote a letter to [[Adolf Hitler]] praising his efforts to "stamp out mental inferiority."<ref>{{cite web|title=Letter to Hitler from Charles Dight|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724235202/http://chgs.umn.edu/histories/letterHitler.pdf|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|accessdate=15 May 2021}}</ref>


A nine-block long street in Minneapolis was named "Dight Avenue" for him in recognition of his efforts to promote food safety. In light of his views on eugenics, a petition and movement were started in 2021 to rename the street, which received support from residents and city officials.<ref name = Strib062421>Brooks, Jennifer, [https://www.startribune.com/brooks-in-minneapolis-all-roads-lead-away-from-dight-avenue/600071745/ "In Minneapolis, all roads lead away from Dight Avenue"], ''[[Minneapolis Star Tribune]]'', June 24, 2021.</ref>
A nine-block long street in Minneapolis was named "Dight Avenue" for him in recognition of his efforts to promote food safety. In light of his views on eugenics, a petition and movement were started in 2021 to rename the street, which received support from residents and city officials.<ref name = Strib062421>Brooks, Jennifer, [https://www.startribune.com/brooks-in-minneapolis-all-roads-lead-away-from-dight-avenue/600071745/ "In Minneapolis, all roads lead away from Dight Avenue"], ''Minneapolis Star Tribune'', June 24, 2021.</ref>


== Publications ==
== Publications ==

Revision as of 16:43, 25 June 2021

Charles Fremont Dight (1856–1938) was a medical professor and promoter of the human eugenics movement in the U.S. state of Minnesota.[1] Dight Avenue, a street in a South Minneapolis neighborhood was named for him.[2] [3]

Biography

Dight was born in Mercer, Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1879. He was a health officer in Holton, Michigan from 1879-1881. He then worked at the university under professor Alonzo B. Palmer. Dight taught at the American University of Beirut (1883-1889). Upon returning to the United States, he was the resident physician and teacher of physiology and hygiene at the Shattuck School in Faribault, Minnesota. He later taught at the medical school at Hamline University which became part of the University of Minnesota in 1907. Dight was a member of the Socialist Party of Minnesota,and was an alderman from 12th district of Minneapolis, from 1914 to 1918.[4] During his time in office, Dight was instrumental in passing an ordinance requiring the pasteurization of milk.[5][6] He left the Socialist Party in 1917, prior to beginning his eugenics efforts.[6]

Dight became a proponent of eugenics during the 1920s. He founded the Minnesota Eugenics Society in 1923 and persuaded the Minnesota legislature to pass a sterilization law in 1925.[2] When he died in 1938, he gave his estate to the University of Minnesota to create the Dight Institute for Eugenics Research.[2] The institute was renamed the Dight Institute for the Promotion of Human Genetics and was in operation until the late 1960s when it was divested, and later closed in the 1990s.[2] Dight actively pursued the same type of eugenics as Nazi medicine.[6] In 1933, Dight wrote a letter to Adolf Hitler praising his efforts to "stamp out mental inferiority."[7]

A nine-block long street in Minneapolis was named "Dight Avenue" for him in recognition of his efforts to promote food safety. In light of his views on eugenics, a petition and movement were started in 2021 to rename the street, which received support from residents and city officials.[8]

Publications

  • 1935: History of the Early Stages of the Organized Eugenics Movement for Human Betterment in Minnesota
  • 1936: Call for a New Social Order

References

  1. ^ Collins, Bob, "Minnesota’s eugenics past", Minnesota Public Radio News. August 1, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d Buchanan, Nicholas; Buchanan, Petra (March 21, 2016). "Down syndrome awareness day, Dight Ave., and the persistence of intolerance". Minnpost. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  3. ^ Welter, Ben (June 22, 2015). "Yesterday's News — Oct. 14, 1914: Dight Avenue's Hitler connection". Star Tribune.
  4. ^ "CHARLES FREMONT DIGHT: An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  5. ^ Welter, Ben, "Yesterday's News: Oct. 14, 1914: Dight Avenue's Hitler connection", Minneapolis Star Tribune.
  6. ^ a b c Phelps, Gary (Fall 1984). "The Eugenics Crusade of Charles Fremont Dight" (PDF). Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Letter to Hitler from Charles Dight" (PDF). Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  8. ^ Brooks, Jennifer, "In Minneapolis, all roads lead away from Dight Avenue", Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 24, 2021.
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