Synopses & Reviews
In 1950, the Governor of Tennessee called for an investigation of the Tennessee Children's Home black market baby operations, said to have grossed $1 million for Georgia Tann, the superintendent of the local branch of the home. Tann was accused of fraudulently persuading pregnant mothers to relinquish their children. A number of Hollywood celebrities adopted children through the home, namely Joan Crawford, June Allyson, and Dick Powell. During the investigation, local attorneys and justices were found to be part of the scandalous network of adoption that allowed adoptive parents to be out-of-state residents. The story is dramatic and shows southern politics at its worst--congenial, respected public figures running shady deals in the back room. Thousands of children were placed in adopted homes during the agency's operation. Each case is a fascinating story involving the search and reunion of adopted children with their natural families.
Synopsis
The only nonfiction account of the adoption agency scandal that began in the 1920s and eventually implicated not only the agency's administration but also local attorneys, court justices, and politicians.
About the Author
LINDA TOLLETT AUSTIN, an attorney in the state of Tennessee, has a Ph.D. in American History with a specialization in the history of the South.
Table of Contents
Background to the Scandal
Crump's Memphis
Matriarch of Juvenile Court: Judge Camille Kelley
The Scandal Unfolds
The Scandal's Aftermath
Congress and the Black Market
The Right to Know: The Adoptee's Dilemma
Conclusion
References
Index