Guide to the William Shockley and Eugenics Collection
SC0595
Daniel Hartwig
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
October 2010
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Note
This encoded finding aid is compliant with Stanford EAD Best Practice Guidelines,
Version 1.0.
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: William Shockley and eugenics collection
Creator:
Saunders, John Bertrand deCusance
Morant
Identifier/Call Number: SC0595
Identifier/Call Number: 15653
Physical Description:
2 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1965-1978
Abstract: This collection pertains to Shockley's
embrace of and advocacy for eugenics, including his work on heredity, I.Q., and race. It
includes papers and articles by Shockley, including several presented to the National
Academy of Sciences; two issues of the PHI DELTA KAPPAN containing a debate between Shockley
and N. L. Gage (Stanford professor of education) on heredity, environment, race, and I.Q.,
1972; and clippings on Shockley's views as well as reactions to them, particularly in the
academic world. Some of the clippings concern the controversy at Stanford when Shockley's
proposed graduate class on dysgenics (1972) was not approved.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Gift of Eleanor Thompson Wortz, 2000; Gift of W. E. Spicer, 2007; Purchase, 2013.
Information about Access
This collection is open for research.
Ownership & Copyright
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must
be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford
University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special
Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright
owner, heir(s) or assigns. See:
http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of
digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Cite As
William Shockley and Eugenics Collection (SC0595). Dept. of Special Collections and
University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Arrangement
The materials are arranged by accession.
Description of the Collection
The materials consist of correspondence, news clippings, publications and ephemera related
to Shockley's embrace of and advocacy for eugenics, including his work on heredity, I.Q.,
and race.
Accession ARCH-2000-263 includes papers and articles by Shockley, including several
presented to the National Academy of Sciences; two issues of the PHI DELTA KAPPAN containing
a debate between Shockley and N. L. Gage (Stanford professor of education) on heredity,
environment, race, and I.Q., 1972; and clippings on Shockley's views as well as reactions to
them, particularly in the academic world. Some of the clippings concern the controversy at
Stanford when Shockley's proposed graduate class on dysgenics (1972) was not approved.
Accession ARCH-2007-074 consists of materials, originally part of William Spicer's files,
pertaining to William Shockley's embrace and advocacy of eugenics. Included are two papers
by Shockley, "Possible Transfer of Metallurgical and Astronomical Approaches to the Problem
of Environment versus Ethnic Heredity," 1966, and "City Slums and Research Taboos - A
National Sickness Diagnosed," 1967; Shockley's letter to Spicer regarding the U.S. News and
World Report interview with Shockley, 1965 (copy attached); form letter by Shockley in
response to his 1965 talk on "Population Control and Eugenics" with 17 enclosures (articles,
press releases, and other correspondence, including George W. Beadle); and form letter by
Shockley requesting feedback on his drafted response to criticisms from faculty in the
Genetics Department of S. U. School of Medicine, 1966.
Accession ARCH-2013-060 consists of Shockley and Foundation for Research and Education on
Eugencis and Dysgenics (FREED) correspondence, news clippings, publications, and ephemera
originally part of John B. deC. M. Saunders' files.
Biographical / Historical
William Shockley was a Professor of engineering at Stanford (1958-1975; emeritus
1975-1989). He was a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in physics, 1956. While working at
Stanford, Shockley embraced and advocated for eugenics.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Eugenics.
Academic freedom
Human genetics.
Heredity, Human.
Wortz, Eleanor Thompson
Shockley, William, 1910-1989
Gage, N. L. (Nathaniel Lees)
Karkau, Isabel Steiner
box 1
Eugenics papers Accession ARCH-2000-263
1966-1976
Creator: Karkau, Isabel Steiner
Biographical / Historical
Isabel Steiner Karkau was an engineering student at Stanford University in the 1930s.
William Shockley was professor of engineering at Stanford (1958-1975) and co-recipient
of the Nobel Prize in physics, 1956.
box 1, folder 1, box 1
Papers, remarks by Schockley
1970-1973
box 1, folder 2
Shockley reprints
1967-1973
box 1, folder 7
SWOPSI matter
1972 May 12
box 1, folder 8
National Academy of Sciences
1972
box 1, folder 10
Committee on Undergraduate Studies review of SWOPSI matter
1973
box 1, folder 11
Biographical material
1972-1973
box 1
Eugenics papers Acccesion ARCH-2007-074
1965-1970
Creator: Spicer, William E., collector.
Biographical / Historical
William E. Spicer was a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at
Stanford University, 1962-1992.
Scope and Contents
This collection of miscellaneous materials, originally part of William Spicer's files,
pertains to William Shockley's interest in eugenics and heredity. The collection
includes two papers by Shockley, "Possible Transfer of Metallurgical and Astronomical
Approaches to the Problem of Environment versus Ethnic Heredity," 1966, and "City Slums
and Research Taboos - A National Sickness Diagnosed," 1967; Shockley's letter to Spicer
regarding the U.S. News and World Report interview with Shockley, 1965 (copy attached);
form letter by Shockley in response to his 1965 talk on "Population Control and
Eugenics" with 17 enclosures (articles, press releases, and other correspondence,
including George W. Beadle); and form letter by Shockley requesting feedback on his
drafted response to criticisms from faculty in the Genetics Department of S. U. School
of Medicine, 1966.
box 2, folder 1
Shockley, William, "City slums and research taboos"
1967 Jan 11
box 2, folder 2
Shockley, William, "Possible transfer of metallurgical and astronomical
approaches to the problem of environment versus ethnic heredity"
1966 Oct 15
box 2, folder 3
Shockley, William, letter to Spicer
1965 Nov 16
box 2, folder 4
Shockley, William, form letter and enclosures
1966 Sep 6
box 2, folder 5
Shockley, William, form letter re: comments from genetics faculty
1966 Apr 14
box 2, folder 6
Shockley, William, correspondence re: lab security
1970 Jul 15
Eugenics papers Accession ARCH-2013-060
1966-1978
Creator: Saunders, John Bertrand deCusance Morant
Biographical/Historical note
Son of a British surgeon, J.B.deC.M. Saunders was born in Grahamstown, South Africa in
1903, and educated there. He took his M.B., Ch.B at the University of Edinburgh in 1925,
becoming FRCS, Edinburgh in 1930. Dr. Saunders came to UCSF in 1931 as Asst. Professor
of Anatomy, becoming Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Anatomy in 1938, a post he held
until 1956. He has also served the campus as Dean, School of Medicine (1956-63), Chair,
Dept. of Medical History and Bibliography (1937-73), and University Librarian
(1943-1973). In 1959 Dr. Saunders was inaugurated as the first Provost of the UCSF
campus, was named the first Chancellor of UCSF in 1964, and served in that position
until 1966. In that year he was named to the Regents Chair of Medical History, in the
Department of the History of Health Sciences.
Dr. Saunders has carried out research in several areas, including medical history
(works on Vesalius and ancient medicine) and the structure and development of bones, the
physiology of the muscles and the mechanics of walking. He was a member of numerous
professional and honorary societies, among them the Royal College of Surgeons of
Edinburgh, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Association of
Anatomists, and the American and British Medical Associations.