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As the 1900s progressed, the way people thought about adoption
started to change. Before 1900, society thought it was OK
that children and their adoptive parents had lots of information
about the child's birth family.
Later on, around the 1930s society started to change and
people started to believe that secrecy in adoption would be
better. The adoption papers and all the information about
a child's birth and birth family history started to be kept
private.
During the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, the government began sealing/closing
birth and adoption records. Secrecy surrounding adoption was
believed to protect the triad (adoptee, birth family,
and adoptive family) members. It was believed that birth mothers
would be able to have their privacy protected, adoptees did
not have to face being labeled "illegitimate" and
adopting parents could maintain their privacy.
Secrecy in adoption was thought to be best for everyone at this time. Today we know this is not the best for everyone.
Read more about open adoption in the section on Adoption Today.
The years after WW II were also an important time for change.
In 1948, the first recorded transracial adoption of an African
American child by white parents took place in Minnesota.
Read more about Transracial Adoption in the African American section.
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