Publisher's Synopsis
An estimated six million Americans are adopted. The development of laws and regulations facilitating this process has been shrouded in mystery. "Adoption's Hidden History" is for anyone who has ever been touched by adoption. From Myra Clark Gaines' nineteenth century court fight for recognition as her birth father's daughter to Jean Paton's crusade for the right of adult adoptees to know their own history, Mary Payne weaves an account like no other. It's the back story of every adopted person. The U. S. Supreme Court, U. S. Justice Department, U. S. Census bureau, Social Security, the Children's Bureau and the Council for State Governments helped shape adoption as it is practiced today. Join us on this incredible journey of discovery.
