Article

Complicating Conservation

The conservation movement of the early 1900s helped to create the National Park system and establish crucial protections for the nation's animals, plants, and landscapes. But some conservationists also embraced exclusionary ideas and policies that caused incalculable harm to people. Madison Grant and William Kent believed that the United States should be, as Kent put it, "a white man's country." They supported immigration restrictions and racial segregation. Grant and other conservationists, including President Theodore Roosevelt, also believed in eugenics. They wanted to prevent people they considered inferior--including people of color and people with disabilities--from having children.

These stories are part of NPS history. Understanding them is necessary to build a more inclusive future.

Madison Grant and Eugenics
A display inside a low railing with a table and chairs and posters on a temporary wall
Madison Grant was a eugenicist and racist who was also an important figure in the conservation movement.
William Kent and Asian Exclusion
Newspaper text with headline: No Japs in Our Schools
California Congressman and conservationist William Kent fiercely opposed Asian immigration and espoused racist views.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Women sit at desks with stacks of paper in an office space
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a scientific research facility in Long Island, NY that hosted the Eugenics Records Office.
Charles Matthias Goethe
Three white men in suits standing in front of a stone arch
Charles Goethe (middle) was a conservationist, founder of National Park Service’s interpretive program, and leader of the Eugenics Movement.
Theodore Roosevelt and Climate Change
Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir stand together in front of Yosemite Falls
How can we think about Theodore Roosevelt's legacy in the context of climate change?

Looking for a Deeper Dive?

Looking for a deeper dive? This article from Parks Stewardship Forum invites you to explore the connections between conservation, eugenics, and our national parks. Consider how we can appreciate our parks while contending with their difficult histories. Please note this article is written in an academic style, so it is longer and more complex than the other content on this page.
Tags: engaging with the environment, eugenics, eugenicist, eugenics history, conservation history, conservation movement, racism, scientific racism, disability history, complicating conservation, immigration, immigration and migration, nativism, cold spring harbor, telling all americans stories, nps history, charles goethe, c.m. goethe, new york, redwood national and state parks, everglades national park, yosemite national park, muir woods national monument, william kent, conservationist, chinese exclusion, california, theodore roosevelt

Last updated: July 17, 2024