American Baby

American Baby was thoroughly researched and written by Gabrielle Glaser.  The subtitle is A Mother, A Child, and the Shadow History of Adoption.  This book is an in depth look at the creation and development of the American adoption system.  

Glaser has set down the history of how adoption services were built around the embarrassment of young women who became pregnant in the 1950s and 60s at a time in our country when unwed motherhood was damaging to a family's reputation.

Taking advantage of the soldiers returning from World War II, coming home to marry and start a family, and the number of young wives who could not conceive, adoption services took advantage of the young girls who could not keep their babies.

In American Baby, Glaser follows the story of 16 year old, Margaret Erle, grew up in a strict Jewish family where discussions of sex education, and childbirth were taboo.  Her parents were Holocaust survivors who had big dreams of success for their daughter.  She fell in love with her high school sweetheart, George who was 17 at the time she became pregnant.  Both sets of parents were scandalized.  

Margaret was taken to Lakeview, a maternity hospital on Staten Island, NY, owned by the Louise Wise Agency, which in return for a fee would keep the young women fed and sheltered until she gave birth.  There she would be sequestered so no one would ever know about her indiscretion.

After she had delivered her son, Margaret was forced to sign papers giving him up for adoption.  Though she and George kept explaining that they wanted to get married and keep their child, their parents were all unsupportive.  They had no choice in the end and Margaret gave up her rights to her own son to the Louise Wise Adoption Agency.  The Louise Wise kept all the records of these transactions sealed.  Margaret never could find out what happened to her son and the Rosenbergs never knew the truth about their adopted child's past, or any family health issues that might affect David's health.

Glaser finds both Margaret Erle Katz and eventually her son, who goes by the name David Rosenberg so many years later.  She tells the story of how Margaret searched for her son for years.  The story of David Rosenberg's life and the obstacles of a closed, harsh adoption system.

This is a fascinating look at a system that was cold and unfeeling toward the women who were giving up their children and the children who were pawns in the business of babies.  Luckily over time the rules were challenged and now there are much better practices in place.

If you are adopted, are adopted parents or are looking for a child you put up for adoption this is an informative heart felt story.  For all of us it is an incredible story of a family separated and reconnected.