William Bennett Munro (5 January 1875 – 4 September 1957) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

historian and political scientist. He taught at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...

and the

California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...

. He was known for research on the seigneurial system in New France and on municipal administration in the United States.

Name Removal at Cal Tech

In February 2021,

Caltech The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...

decided to take William B. Munro's name off one of its buildings because he supported and practiced

eugenics Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior o ...

, which is a belief that certain people are better than others based on their genes on a scientific and racial level. The building was called the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, but it was renamed the Hameetman Center.

made this decision as part of an effort to recognize and address its past connection to eugenics, which has hurt many people through discrimination and damage to marginalized communities. The president of Caltech, Thomas F. Rosenbaum, said that removing Munro's name reflects the university's commitment to including everyone and recognizing its institutional history. Munro was an advocate for

, a now-discredited theory that aimed to improve the genetic quality of the human population through

selective breeding Selective breeding (also called artificial selection) is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits (characteristics) by choosing which typically animal or plant ...

and

sterilization Sterilization may refer to: * Sterilization (microbiology), killing or inactivation of micro-organisms * Soil steam sterilization, a farming technique that sterilizes soil with steam in open fields or greenhouses * Sterilization (medicine) rende ...

. Munro argued that the "superior" races should have more children and the "inferior" races should have fewer children, and he supported laws that allowed for involuntary sterilization. While Munro's legacy is complicated by his support of eugenics, he also made contributions to the field of

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and ...

. He authored several books and articles on

political theory Political philosophy or political theory is the philosophical study of government, addressing questions about the nature, scope, and legitimacy of public agents and institutions and the relationships between them. Its topics include politics, ...

international relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such ...

, and

American government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

, and he served as president of the

American Political Science Association The American Political Science Association (APSA) is a professional association of political science students and scholars in the United States. Founded in 1903 in the Tilton Memorial Library (now Tilton Hall) of Tulane University in New Orle ...

in 1940. His name is still used by

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is conside ...

as an endowed position for political professorship, with three professors holding the position as of 2023.

Works

*190
''The'' droit de banalité during the French régime in Canada
*1904 ''The Revolution'' *190
"Canada and British North America
''The history of North America'', vol. 11 *190
"The office of intendant in New France: a study in French Colonial policy"
In: ''The American Historical Review'', Volume 12, no. 1, October 1906. *1907 ''Some Merits and Defects of the French Colonial System'' *1907 ''The Galveston Plan of City Government'' *190
The seigniorial system in Canada : a study in French colonial policy
*1908 ''Documents Relating to Seigneurial Tenure in Canada, 1598–1894'', as part of the Champlain Society's General Series *190
"The custom of Paris in the New World"
excerpted fro
''Juristische Festgabe des Auslandes zu Joseph Kohlers 60. Geburtstag''
Stuttgart, 1909 *1912 ''The Initiative, Referendum and Recall'' *191
''Selections from the Federalist''
edited with an introd. by William Bennett Munro *1915 ''A Bibliography of Municipal Government in the United States'' *191
''The seigneurs of old Canada : a chronicle of New-World feudalism''
*191
''Crusaders of New France: a chronicle of the Fleur-de-lis in the wilderness''
*1919 ''Public Ownership of Public Utilities'' 1919, with

Samuel Orace Dunn Samuel Orace Dunn (March 8, 1877 – January 4, 1958) was an American transportation specialist. Biography He was born in Bloomfield, Iowa on March 8, 1877. He began to set type at the age of 12. He learned the printing trade after graduating from ...

, John Martin, and

Delos Franklin Wilcox Delos Franklin Wilcox (April 22, 1873 in Ida, Michigan – April 4, 1928) was a United States expert on municipal government. Biography He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1894, having been strongly influenced by John Dewey. He took ...

*1919 ''Government of the United States'' (5 editions, 2 title changes through 1946) *1926 ''A selected bibliography on municipal government in Great Britain'' *1927 ''The Money Power in Politics'' *1927 ''The Resurgence of Autocracy'' *1928 ''The Invisible Government, and Personality in Politics'' *1929 ''American Influences on Canadian Government'' *1930 ''American Government To-day'' *1931 ''The Government of Europe: Supplement'' *1932 ''The Significance of Our State and Local Elections'' *1932 ''The Government of European Cities'' *1934 ''Municipal Administration'' *1935 ''The New Philippine Commonwealth''

References

* Damien-Claude Bélanger
"William Bennett Munro"
In: ''Biographies of prominent Quebec and Canadian historical figures'',

Marianopolis College , mottoeng = "Under the Guidance of Mary" , established = 1908 , type = Private college , endowment = , director = Mr. Christian Corno , provost = E ...

, 2004 * Harvey Eagleson
"William Bennett Munro"
In: ''Engineering and Science'', Jan. 1960, p. 31–36

External links

* * * *
William Munro's Compilation of Seigneurial Documents, Champlain Society
1875 births 1957 deaths Canadian eugenicists Canadian political scientists Canadian historians 20th-century Canadian historians People from Almonte, Ontario Harvard University faculty California Institute of Technology faculty Canadian expatriates in the United States {{Canada-scientist-stub