a Bennington Historical Society presentation

Mercedes de Guardiola will discuss how Vermont’s eugenics movement emerged from the public policies of the nineteenth century and led to state-sanctioned programs of family separation, sterilization, and institutionalization.

Mercedes de Guardiola’s research focuses on the history of eugenics in America. A leading expert on Vermont’s eugenics movement, she testified before the state legislature during hearings in the 2020s. She earned her BA from Dartmouth College and lives in New York City.

The Bennington Historical Society is a volunteer-run program of Bennington Museum. The BHS offers its programs at no charge with support from Nexus Consulting. You can support the efforts of the BHS to share the history of our region by making a donation.