The Funding of Scientific Racism: Wickliffe Draper and the Pioneer Fund

294 Pages·2002·6.125 MB·English

by  William H. Tucker

e x e r ) §=1 NE Funding
The Funding
of Scientific
ans
clentitic Wickliffe Draper Racism
Racism ana the
William H. Tucker
Pioneer Fund
The Pioneer Fund, established in 1937 by
Wickliffe Preston Draper, is one ofthe most
controversial nonprofit organizations in the
United States. Long suspectedof misusing
social scienceto fuel the politics of oppression,
the fund has specialized in supporting research
that seeks to prove the genetic andintellectual
inferiority of blacks while denying its ties to any
political agenda.

This powerful and provocative volume provides
abundant evidence that the Pioneer Fund has
indeed been the primary sourcefor scientific
racism. Revealing a lengthy history of concert-
ed and clandestine activities and interests,
The Funding ofScientific Racism examines
for the first time archival correspondencethat
incriminates the fund’s majorplayers, including
Draper, the recently deceased president Harry
F, Weyher, and others.
Divulging evidence ofthe Pioneer Fund's politi-
cal motivations, William H. Tuckerlinks Draper
to a Klansman’s crusadeto repatriate blacks
in the 1930s. Subsequent directors and
grantees are implicated in their support of
campaigns organized in the 1960s to reverse
the Brown decision, prevent passageofthe
RACE RELATIONS/SOCIOLOGY
Civil Rights Act,and implementa system of |e
raciallysegregated privateschools. | A;
|
Tucker showsthattheseandotherprojects . “The Funding of Scientific Racism is
have beenofficiallysponsoredbythePioneer ; compelling and readable. Tucker
Fund orsurreptitiously supervised byitsdirec-
demolishes the threadbare detenaes
tors. This evidence demonstrates thatany
“Excellent. Certainly Tucker has
results of genuine,scientificvalue produced the Pioneer Fund and its supporters
done his homework and he has
withthefund’ssupport havebeenasalutary,if have concocted over the lasttwo
incidental, consequenceofits actual purpose: done it most responsibly. Without
decades.”
toprovide ammunitionfor what has essentially doubt, this volumewill stand in
— Barry Mehler, founder andexecu-
beenalobbyingcampaign to preventthefull
the literature as the most thor-
participationof AfricanAmericansin society
tive director of theInstitute for
oughly documented and percep-
and thepolity.
the Study of Academic Racism
tively interpreted discussion of
precisely whatits title proclaims.”
— Jerry Hirsch, Professor
Emeritus in the Departments
WILLIAM H. TUCKERis a of Psychology and Animal
professor ofpsychology
Biology and former codirector

at Rutgers Universityand
of the National Institute of
the author of The
Science and Politics Mental Health Program for
e
of Racial Research, Training in Research on
which received the
Institutional Racism at the
Anisfield-WolfBook
£
oO University ofIllinois at Urbana-
Award, the Ralph J.
f=
BuncheAward, andthe Champaign
Gustavus MyersAward.
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PRESS ISBN 0-252-02762-0
WANACY i90000
Urbana and Chicago

www.press.uillinois.edu 9 780252"027628
a,a | JacketdesignbyPaula Newcomb
The Funding ofScientific Racism
The Funding of Scientific Racism
Wickliffe Draper and the Pioneer Fund
WILLIAM H. TUCKER
UniversityofIllinoisPress
URBANA AND CHICAGO
©2002bytheBoardofTrustees
oftheUniversityofIllinois
Allrightsreserved
ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
C5 4321
2)Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Tucker,WilliamH.,1940—
Thefundingofscientificracism:WickliffeDraperand
thePioneerFund/WilliamH.Tucker.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN0-252-02762-0 (clothalk.paper)
1.Draper,WickliffePreston.
2.PioneerFund(Foundation)—History.
3.Eugenics—Research—UnitedStates—History.
4.Eugenics—Researchgrants—UnitedStates—History.
5.Racism—UnitedStates—History.
I.Title.
HQ755.5.U5T82 2002
363.9'2'072073—dc21 2001008659
ForMonica
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: Keepers oftheFlame 1
. OurNorthern Friend:ATaleofTwo Colonels 11
. SomebodyWhoseViewsHe CouldNotApprove:
The Formation andRe-formationofthePioneerFund 43
. OurSourceofFunds: The Campaign againstCivilRights 65
. TheyAreNotLikeUs: ThePioneerFundinthe
Post—CivilRightsEra 131
Conclusion: PioneerorPamphleteer 197
Postscript 214
Appendix:ArchivalMaterials Consulted 215
Notes 217
Index 275
Acknowledgments
LIKE THAT FAMOUSfictional Southerner, I have relied on the kindness of
strangerstocompletethiswork.Becausethemostimportantmembersofthe
Pioneer Fund,includingits founder, have deliberately concealed many of
their activities from the public, itwas necessaryto piece together much of
their story from the archival correspondence ofvarious other people who
havebeeninvolvedinthesesurreptitiousprojects.Iamthusparticularlyin-
debtedto the numerousarchivists andstaffmembersofthe facilitieslisted
intheAppendix;althoughinmostcasesIdon’tevenknowtheirnames,this
bookwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithouttheirassistance.
The research for this bookwasalso assistedby my own university, both
through a grant from the Rutgers UniversityResearch Council and bythe
energeticeffortsofthelibrarystaff.Inparticular,IamgratefultoLibbyHart
atRutgers-Camden’sRobesonLibrary,whohelpedmelocateandobtainall
sorts ofobscure materials.
I owe a special debt ofgratitude to a numberoffriends and colleagues.
Mylong-time,closefriendShepNachbartookanearlyinterestinthisproject
andvisitedHopedaletohelpmetrackdownthedetailsofWickliffeDraper’s
familybackground;itwasalsothroughShep’sdiligentworkthatIobtained
aninterviewwithWilliamFE.Draper,Wickliffe’ssecondcousin.BarryMeh-
ler,thedirectorandfounderoftheInstitutefortheStudyofAcademicRacism
at Ferris State University,generouslyopenedbothhis files andhishometo
me. Keith Hurt shared his encyclopedicknowledgeofright-wingactivists,
aswellasthetranscriptsofhisinterviewswithanumberofimportantsources
ofinformation.IalsobenefitedgreatlyfromAndrewWinston’sexpertiseon
right-wingsocialscientists.Althoughallthesefriendshaveencouragedand
x Acknowledgments
assisted mewith thiswork,naturallythe responsibilityforthe opinion and
the analysis is mine alone.
At the University of Illinois Press, Richard Martin has encouragedthis
project sinceI firstmentioneditto him,andI feel fortunate to havehim as
an editor. Carol Anne Peschke’s meticulous editing ofthe manuscripthas
done muchto improveit.
Myfamilyhas been an extraordinary source ofencouragementover the
threeyearsittookto completethisbook.MybelovedUnclePhilwaspartic-
ularlyinterestedintheprojectandsentmeanumberofusefularticles;lam
saddenedthathe diedonlymonthsbeforethe manuscriptwasfinished. My
son, Tommy, has not onlytaken an interest in the workbut allowed meto
use his nameandaddress to ordersome materials from one supposedlyac-
ademic source, which led to the fascinating revelation ofits connection to
David Duke; myfondest hopeis that some dayTommy’s daughter, Lainey,
willreadthisbookandatlastunderstandwhyPopi’sofficewasalwaysfilled
with piles ofpaper.
Finallyand most important, I owe an enormousdebt ofgratitude to my
wife, Monica,who providedtangible assistance on a numberoftrips to ar-
chival repositories and whose incredible patience and unwavering support
makeallthings possible. It is to herthat I dedicate thisbook.
The Funding ofScientific Racism