Contains materials on single traits, or unit characteristics, considered either heritable in themselves or linked with inheritable traits. Each unit characteristic was assigned and filed by a specific trait ("A") number according to the classification scheme listed in The Trait Book (see Appendix B). Each unit-characteristic file consisted of up to three color-coded folders: a buff-colored folder for collected materials and a red and/or blue folder that contained further references and cross-references. Since the distinctions between the red, blue, and buff folders were not consistent, all three files have been integrated; the current folder labels contain all of the information that was found on the original labels. Materials include E.R.O. trait schedules, manuscript essays, pedigree charts, article abstracts, photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, reprints, and magazine articles. The items in each folder were consecutively numbered and stamped with an indexing date by the Eugenics Record Office. Dates on the outside of the folder reflect the dates of the original materials (e.g., the dates of the abstracted articles); if an original date could not be determined, the stamped index date was used. All items were retained in their original numbered sequence, including blank forms, photographs, printed materials, and duplicates of items. If files contained significant photographs or correspondence, a note was made on the outside of the folder and in the folder listing.

The nature of the unit characteristics themselves is broad, ranging from the temperament of people in various professions to hair color to diseases. Likewise, the nature of materials range from abstracts of medical journal articles to postcards depicting photographs of Coney Island Dreamland Circus Sideshows. Over a hundred files concern studies of twins. The Dight Institute added ten files on Huntington's Chorea, which postdate the work of the Eugenics Record Office.

Native American Images Note : Black and white photographs of White Cuna Indians, North American Chiefs, and photomechanical prints of Mexican and Alaskan natives. Twenty-three silver gelatin prints from the Smithsonian Institution’s Bureau of American Ethnography of formal, front and side, portraits of Pueblo, Algonquin, Apache, and Sioux men. Taken by an unknown photographer from 1870-1912, individuals are clothed in period dress with some traditional feather, braid, and earring ornamentation. Thirty-seven black and white 3 ¼" square silver gelatin photographs of the White Indians of Panama. As detailed in the World’s Work article "Blond Indians of the Darien Jungle", Richard Olgesby Marsh photographed the natives in their village in 1924. Some photomechanical prints of Aztecs, Caribs, and Eskimos from such works as Harper’s Monthly, New York Times, and World’s Work, dating from 1908-1933. Primarily in folders A:9770-#1, A:9861.

contains trait schedules, newspaper clippings, photographs, hair samples, postcard pictures, and some correspondence about specific traits. Like materials in Series I, items are organized according to the trait numbers listed in The Trait Book. Trait schedules within each number classification are arranged alphabetically by family name.

This series contains 13 card file boxes. (See series description.)

Indexes of Record of Family Traits (RFT) schedules and Family-Tree Folder (FTF) schedules. Cards in Box #1 cross-index the names of individuals who completed RFT schedules and whose surnames differ from the family name. Each card contains both surnames and includes an alpha-numeric code that was assigned to the family name, e.g., Hea-26 for Heard. (See description of Series IV.) Cards are arranged alphabetically by the surname located in the left-hand corner. Box #2 is an alphabetically arranged card catalog of the names and addresses of people who submitted FTF schedules. The cards include cross-references to schedules filed by specific trait ("A") numbers in Series I. Also included at the back of this box are similar indexes that are cross-referenced to the marriage ("M") file and to the family Traits ("D") file, which are on microfilm. For further information on interpreting the index cards and their letter codes, see Appendix A.

This series contains 2 card file boxes. (See series description.)

Card catalog of the names and addresses of people who submitted Record of Family Traits schedules to the Eugenics Record Office. Each family was given an alpha-numeric code (for example, Hea-26 for Heard), and the cards are filed by these codes. The catalog covers the alphabet from A to S; the alphabet from T to Z is missing. Some cards contain cross-references (using codes) to other families.

A sample of the material that is now at the Center for Human Genetics in Bar Harbor, Maine. The sample includes one folder of originals and three folders of photocopies of completed Record of Family Traits schedules. These schedules record information about several generations of families, including names, birthplaces, birthdates, illnesses, and special abilities.

Fitter Families Examinations given in the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas from 1925 to 1927. These folders are filed by state. This series also includes some clippings about eugenics in law; two folders of Individual Analysis Cards for the years 1917-1936 (filed alphabetically by last name); some correspondence with the Eugenics Registry at the Race Betterment Foundation; and biographical reports and eugenics information for many individuals, some of them potential field workers for the Eugenics Record Office (filed alphabetically by last name at the end of this series). For some further information about Fitter Family Studies, see the card file located in Series VII.

A sample of the material that is now at the Center for Human Genetics in Bar Harbor, Maine. The sample includes photocopies of biographical sketches and pedigrees that were taken by field workers of the Eugenics Record Office. There are some original documents. Seventeen field workers are represented in the sample, filed by field worker number. These numbers are given in a list filed under "Numbers of Eugenics Record Office Field Workers." Also in this series are notes from a field workers meeting in 1915 and a notebook that contains suggestions for the field workers about methods of keeping notes. The card file (1911-1926) in this series gives a record of each field worker by number and by name, as well as by subject and geographical location covered. The card file also includes some entries containing information on Fitter Family Studies.

Files compiled by 29 volunteer field workers, who did not receive training from the Eugenics Record Office as the other field workers did. The files contain biographical reports, pedigrees, and lineages done by volunteers for families in the locale of each volunteer. The folders are filed numerically by the volunteer number of each person. The files for some volunteers are missing (10, 24, 25, 26). There are also items for which no volunteer numbers were given. These folders have been filed alphabetically after the volunteer numbers and include miscellaneous trait files, a model chart ("Rational or Artificial Selection (Model)"), and baby books and daily logs for members of the Cory family.

Pedigree charts, the majority of which are oversized and in fragile condition. Most charts are detailed pedigrees and/or genealogies of specific families, including such prominent individuals as Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and J.S. Bach. This series also includes more general materials used in various E.R.O. studies, e.g., a map of Quicksand, Kentucky; and physical development records of infants in Washington, D.C.

Material that seems to have been collected by Harry H. Laughlin on the topic of blindness. There are two folders of correspondence between Laughlin and Lucien Howe (filed under Laughlin's name) from 1915 to 1928; materials for Howe's Bibliography of Hereditary Eye Defects; statistics gathered about the cost of blindness to the government; responses to questionnaires sent to colleges and universities nationwide about courses being given on eugenics in 1920; general correspondence about eye defects and blindness and about hereditary blindness; manuscripts by Lucien Howe and by Albert Govaerts; Physical Developmental Record charts and correspondence; and responses to questionnaires sent to schools for the blind. This series also includes two card files. One contains information on tuberculosis gathered by A. Govaerts for his "Heredity Factor in the Etiology of Tuberculosis." The only label that survived from a crumbling envelope that contained the other card file indicates that this file holds information about blind and partially blind people.

Extensive abstracts, pedigree charts, and annotated bibliographies of European and American medical journal articles that were used in the publication of Bibliographia Eugenica, a supplement to Eugenical News, which was compiled and edited by Mabel Lavinia Earle from 1927 until 1934. According to the Explanatory Note (see folder titled "Rules and Abbreviations Used in Publishing the Bibliography"), the bibliographies were intended to help investigators in the field of eugenics to "keep in touch with what has been published; and to know who are current investigators in the field of their own researches." Folders are filed alphabetically either by clinical condition or by the name of the abstracted article's author. A substantial number of the abstracts (22 folders) concern multiple births. Several files contain correspondence between Earle and Charles B. Davenport or Harry H. Laughlin, which is indicated on the outside of the folder. Also in this series are eight card file boxes that contain abstracts from Volumes I and II of Bibliographia Eugenica. The abstracts were clipped from the volumes, pasted onto file cards, and filed alphabetically by author's name. One card file contains handwritten abstracts and is also filed alphabetically by author's name.

"Midget schedules" from 1934, filed alphabetically by last name. The data was compiled from midgets who were assembled from around the world to work in the "Midget Village" at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1933 and in 1934. The "midget schedules" include measurements and trait descriptions. Also in this series are files of clippings, correspondence, notes, and photographs concerning the Midget Village, including an oversized photograph of the midgets who worked there. There is one card file containing bibliographical citations about midgets, as well as traits for individual midgets.

Cards that are filed by trait number (from The Trait Book), then by surname, and then by geographical locality. There are references on each card that consist of an alpha-numeric family code (e.g., Hea-26 for Heard) that can be looked up in Series IV to find the name and address of the family who submitted a Record of Family Traits schedule to the Eugenics Record Office. This series contains 247 card file boxes. (See series description.)