Book Club: The Baby Thief with Heather Rodriguez

This National Adoption Month Book Club episode dives into the shocking true story of Georgia Tann, a once-celebrated American adoption pioneer who was, in fact, a baby trafficker. This book, written by Journalist Barbara Raymond, who uncovered this dark history, shares how Tann’s legacy continues to influence adoption laws and practices. We discuss Raymond’s book, “The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption,” with adoptee Heather Rodriguez. Tann operated in Memphis from 1924 to 1950, and stole thousands of children—many from poor or unwed mothers—and sold them to wealthy families, all while being protected by powerful political allies. Her actions helped shape modern American adoption, introducing secrecy and falsified records that still impact adoptees today.