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The Unfit Heiress, The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt, by Audrey Clare Farley

Purchase The Unfit Heiress at Amazon here. (This is an affiliate ink, which only means that if you click the link and make a purchase, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. Happy shopping!)

History:

Eugenics – one of the cruelest population control movements to ever happen in America. The goal of the eugenics movement was to “better” society with selective breeding. The Human Betterment Foundation of the 1930’s promoted the involuntary sterilization of those deemed inferior – as decided by doctors, scientists, and sometimes even parents. In an effort to improve the human race, targeted groups tended to include immigrants, the poor, asylum/prison inmates, nonwhites, the disabled, and the intellectually impaired (based on sometimes skewed tests). People from these groups were either threatened, coerced, or unknowingly tricked into undergoing surgeries that would forever rob them of having children. The Unfit Heiress is based on the true story of Ann Cooper Hewitt, a high-society victim of eugenics.

Synopsis:

Ann Cooper Hewitt was born in 1914. Her father, Peter Cooper Hewitt, was an esteemed inventor who came from one of New York’s most wealthy, prominent and political families. His father had served as mayor of New York City. Peter’s wife and Ann’s mother, Maryon, fell in love with his money and married him for the benefit of social mobility. She wanted nothing to do with domestication or motherhood. Peter loved and doted on little Ann, but Maryon resented the child and often left her in the care of maids so she could go out on shopping binges and attend lavish parties. When Peter died, he left most of his money to Ann – but with the stipulation that she would produce children. If Ann died childless, her portion of the inheritance would go to her mother. Knowing this, Maryon paid a team of corrupt doctors an exorbitant amount of money to have her “feebleminded” and “over-sexed” daughter sterilized. At age twenty, Ann underwent the procedure thinking that she was simply getting an appendectomy. She later sued the doctors for mayhem and her mother for $500,000 in damages (over $9 million today). This 1936 case became one of the most sensational trials of its time, and raised serious questions about the ethics of the eugenics movement.

Review:

Without question, Farley did her homework and researched this case and the eugenics movement very thoroughly. The novel provides a solid history of the movement, the people involved, the legalities, other famous cases of forced sterilization (Carrie Buck), and the emotional impact on victims. Toward the end of the book, Farley introduces the reader to other real-life, but more ordinary, victims of eugenics. In the aftermath of these surgeries, many women faced divorces and struggled with thoughts of suicide. Additionally, Farley provided insight into the life and psyche of Maryon Hewett – her hunger for wealth and social status stemming from a humble childhood, her selfish drive to have these needs met through multiple marriages to prominent men, regardless of the cost. Farley’s presentation of Ann’s life is heartbreaking to say the least. A lonely child – ignored, unloved, isolated, and unfairly labeled by her own mother. Ann’s isolation and lack of real-world experience created some issues in her adult relationships as she tried to make her own way in the world. Like her mother, she too was married multiple times, but for different reasons. While Maryon sought upscale men to improve her wealth and social status, Ann yearned for love and affection, favoring working class men to meet these needs. I don’t believe either of them ever found happiness.

The Unfit Heiress is a well-written and well-detailed account of an American tragedy. Although the pacing was a bit slow at times, I did enjoy the strong historical context and the very clear picture of life and social norms during this era. Thought provoking yet troubling, this novel demonstrates just how easily people are shaped by money, power and greed. It explores the complexities of relationships and the power of forgiveness. I highly recommend The Unfit Heiress – a compelling summer read!

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Day of Tears, Julius Lester

Day of Tears, Julius Lester (1939-2018) is a historical fiction novel for teens and tweens, based on actual events. On March 2nd and 3rd of 1859, the largest and most devastating slave auction in American history was held in Savannah, Georgia. Ironically, as soon as the auction began, the skies darkened and heavy thunderstorms ensued. Torrential downpours lingered for two days, ceasing only when the auction ended. Many referred to this as the day God cried, or “the weeping time”. Over 400 slaves were sold. Some families were separated forever, many of whom were denied the chance to even say goodbye. Sobbing children were ripped away from their mothers, couples were separated, human beings were shipped away like cattle, their fates unknown.

Pierce Butler owned a large, inherited plantation and hundreds of slaves in Savannah, Georgia. He had been married to actress and abolitionist Fanny Kemble, but Butler’s need for control and their opposing views on slavery caused the marriage to end in divorce. Pierce used his influence to take custody of their two daughters, Sarah and Francis, but family tensions continued. Francis, eager to please her father, supported slavery. Sarah, like her mother, opposed it. Pierce couldn’t accept Sarah’s views and the two were constantly at odds. Three of Butler’s slaves, Mattie, Will, and Emma were a family that had been with the Butlers for three generations. In Fanny’s absence, Emma was a committed, loving caretaker to the girls, and she bonded deeply with them. Sarah was especially close to Emma, who was like a maternal figure to both girls.

Pierce, once wealthy, lost most of his money gambling. In order to satisfy his debts, he held a massive slave auction and made over $300,000. But his problems were far from over. The auction not only tore slave families apart, but his own as well. The horrible decisions he made during those two days impacted all of them forever, breaking relationships and forever changing the course of his family.

Day of Tears, Julius Lester, is written in the multiple voices of several characters, slaves and owners. This book seamlessly transitions through different points in time, as we hear from some characters as children and then as adults years later. Written in a play/script form, Day of Tears is a fast-paced, smooth, extremely poignant, heavy read. Lester always did a phenomenal job of placing the reader right in the middle of his chapters. I was right there at the auction, standing heartbroken in that sweltering hot, overcrowded stable, breathing in the stench of sweaty bodies, listening to deafening, pelting rain and claps of thunder. Flashes of lightening offered glimpses of trembling slaves, packed like sardines in the stalls, waiting to be sold like meat to the highest bidder, holding their children for the last time. Then there were the finely dressed bidders, fanning themselves, laughing, socializing, acting like over-zealous holiday shoppers celebrating their purchases without a fleeting thought for the human beings in front of them, who were viewed as nothing more than a business transaction. I left a piece of my heart inside this book.

Parents, this book is educational and based on true events in history, but also a heavy and, at some points, disturbing read. I think this book would make a gripping, engaging piece of a slavery study for middle school teachers. However, I recommend using caution given the graphic nature of certain scenes. Day of Tears is extremely well-written, and brings out the emotional side of history because it connects us to the families and real people affected, and we clearly feel their struggles. It serves as a painful reminder of one of the most shameful parts of American history, and how far people will go in the name of greed. I recommend this book for middle school aged readers and adults alike. It would make a great conversation starter about an appalling piece of American history. Rest in peace, Julius Lester, and thank you for giving a voice to the victims of slavery. Nobody deserves it more than them.

To see more of Julius Lester, check out my review of his book, Let’s Talk About Race.

To purchase, click the Amazon link here. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click this link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you.

“Man puts manacles on his fellow man; God never.” Lyman Abbot