The negro project, instigated in 1939 by margaret sanger, was one of the first major undertakings of the new birth control federation of america bcfa, the product of a merger between the american birth control league and sangers birth control clinical research bureau, and one of the more controversial campaigns of the birth control movement. Diaphragms, also known as womb veils, became a popular method of birth control. Standard histories of the birth control movement often overlook emma goldmans pioneering role. She wrote several books in the 1920s which had a nationwide impact in promoting the cause of birth control. A controversial character even now, she founded the predecessor to todays planned parenthood and dedicated her life to working tirelessly for the legalization and promotion of birth control and abortion. While awaiting trial, she fled to europe for a year. Since the beginning of the idea of birth control, margaret sanger has been an advocate when it comes to family planning. Lcdigggbain23218 in 1921 sanger founded the american birth control league, and she served as its president until 1928. Her crusade made it legal to publish and distribute information about sex, sexuality, and birth control. Sanger published the women rebel, a newspaper advocating birth control, and when indicted for sending obscene materials through the mails, she fled to europe and gathered information there. Obscenity laws forced her to flee the country until 1915. Although she initially met with opposition, sanger gradually won some support for getting women access to contraception. Margaret sanger 18791966 american experience official site.
Bain news servicelibrary of congress, washington, d. The league was one of the parent organizations of the birth control federation of america, which in 1942 became the planned. She worked as a nurse the fight for birth control was such a magnificently important one, it was so wrapped up in the feminist movement and race rights, but it has been tragically forgotten. Born september 14, 1879, in corning, new york, the sixth of. Margaret higgins sanger, 18791966, american leader in the birth control movement, b. An outspoken eugenicist herself, sanger consistently promoted racist ideals with a contemptuous attitude.
Margaret sanger and the birth control movement in america 9781416540762. American birth control league, 1922 birth control 58 pages. The career of margaret sanger, embraced the medical, legal, political, and religious dimensions of the subject and helped to pioneer the emerging field of womens history. Margaret sanger was born on september 14, 1879, in corning, new york. Hitler, the ku klux klan, and margaret sanger courierherald. All women need to be aware of the efforts margaret sanger made that have had an impact on their individual daily lives today. It is a highly critical study of sangers preworld war ii career that can still be appreciated by readers in todays society.
As an activist in the birthcontrol and populationcontrol movements, she was one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century. Margaret sanger was one of the most brilliant heroines in the fight for birth control. Good book about sanger, planned parenthood and eugenics. In 1923, according to the margaret sanger papers, the birth. Like the advocates of birth control, the eugenists, for instance, are seeking to assist the race toward the elimination of the unfit.
Moreover, the planned parenthood founder unequivocally preached a creed of race improvement, which. Margaret sanger devoted her life to legalizing birth control and making it universally available for women. In her later life, sanger spearheaded the effort that resulted in the modern birth control pill by 1960. In 1921, sanger founded the abcl after opening her first birth control clinic in 1916. Margaret sanger our founder sangers battle for family planning was unrelenting, unyielding, and totally focused. Margaret higgins sanger was an american birth control activist. Born in 1879, sanger came of age during the heyday of the comstock act, a federal. Pdf margaret sangeros eugenic legacy download full pdf. According to abortion activists, margaret sanger was a champion for womens rights, a leader for womens reproductive health, and a saint for women who felt they had no other choice but to have an abortion. Before eugenists and others who are laboring for racial betterment can succeed, they must first clear the way for birth control.
In december 1937, gamble was appointed medical field director of sangers birth control clinical research bureau and at the same time became a member of the editorial advisory board of the bureaus journal of contraception, a propaganda vehicle for sangers birth control and eugenics agendawhen the north carolina plan was. Written by americas leading birth control activist,the case for birth control is margaret sangers most influential work. An autobiography scroll down to find this book among other writings. An advocate for womens reproductive rights who was also a vocal. Killer angel, a biography of planned parenthoods founder, margaret sanger, p. Margaret sangers propaganda campaign against the catholic church paperback july 31, 2015 this is a concise history of sangers mission to promote birth control and church control. List of books and articles about margaret sanger online research. Woman rebel margaret sanger spearheaded the birth control movement in the united states, coining the term birth control and opening the first birth control clinic in the country. Title margaret sanger papers, summary correspondence, diaries, speeches, lectures, articles, organizational records, clippings, scrapbooks, printed matter, photographs, memorabilia, and other papers relating to sangers activities on behalf of birth control in the u. September 14, 1879 september 6, 1966 some sources, including websters dictionary of american women and contemporary authors online 2004 give her birth year as 1883. Sanger, margaret margaret sanger with a client in a familyplanning and birthcontrol clinic. Eugenics without birth control seems to us a house builded sic upon the sands. At a march 1925 international birth control gathering in new york city, a speaker warned of the menace posed by the black and yellow peril. Introduction margaret sanger and the birth control.
Delivering the pill wasnt easy national geographic. Her work for womens reproductive rights is amazing. Margaret sanger spent time in jail to fight for sex education, and for distributing contraceptive information and contraceptives. Margaret sanger spoke to a womens organization affiliated with the kkk and she started the negro project to bring birthcontrol information and clinics to impoverished southern africanamericans. The woman rebel description document discussion questions extension activities standards additional resources contact us description at the turn of the last century, wide knowledge of common sense birth control strategies was extremely poor. In 1916 sanger opened a birth control clinicthe nation s firstin the brownsville section of brooklyn, offering sex education and counseling about contraception, which it stressed as an. Margaret sanger, birth control, and the eugenics movement. Margaret higgins sanger slee was an american birth control activist and the founder of the american birth control league which eventually became planned parenthood. Margaret sanger appeals before a senate committee for federal birthcontrol legislation in washington in march 1934. Margaret sanger sanger, margaret, 18791966 the online.
Margaret sanger 1879 1966 was the founder of the planned parenthood federation of america ppfa and the international planned parenthood federation ippf. Margaret sanger was a prominent advocate for contraception, eugenics, population control, and abortion best known for founding the american birth control league, the immediate predecessor of the planned parenthood federation of america ppfa sanger popularized the term birth control as central to her larger philosophy of birth control later called planned parenthood, which. Woman, morality, and birth control margaret sanger. Black woman sterilized due to eugenic agenda of planned. The pivot of civilization by margaret sanger call number.
She was the sixth of eleven children, though her mother died. A sympathetic biography that seeks to clear the noted birthcontrol pioneers name of the charges of elitism and racism, which have darkened her reputation in recent years. In the early 20 th century, at a time when matters surrounding family planning or womens healthcare were not spoken in public, margaret sanger founded the birth control movement and became an outspoken and lifelong advocate for womens reproductive rights. Margaret sanger lived long enough to see the practice of birth control declared a. Margaret sanger, founder of planned parenthood, worked first as a nurse where she learned firsthand of the health and social problems of too many pregnancies. In 1910 she moved to greenwich village and started a publication promoting a womans right to birth control a term that she coined. In 1916 she opened a clinic in brooklyn, was arrested, and served thirty days for. Sanger, margaret, 18791966, contrib laws concerning birth control in the united states c1929, by committee on federal legislation for birth control page images at harvard sanger, margaret, 18791966. Sanger wrote many books and articles on birth control and marriage, and an autobiography the latter in 1938. Personal experience and work as a publichealth nurse. Sanger would go on to popularize the term birth control and open the first birth control clinic in the united states. A quick understanding of margaret sanger, the mother. The name margaret sanger is nearly synonymous with birth control in the united states. To margaret sanger birth control was an alternative to abortion, which, though numbers are hard to get, the estimates say was near our current rate to much higher.
It is at the mercy of the rising stream of the unfit. Millions of immigrants and the urban poor suffered in silence and ignorance of ways to limit the size of their families. Birth control and racial betterment by margaret sanger. In 1942, after several organizational mergers and name changes, planned parenthood federation came into being. Margaret sanger, birth control, and the eugenics movement margaret sanger, born margaret louise higgins, was born in september 1879 in central new york to a workingclass irish catholic family. In 1914, margaret sanger was arrested for publishing information about birth control in her magazine woman rebel. Margaret sanger a selection of booksebooks available in trible library. You open your book with the night that margaret sanger, who founded planned parenthood, asked dr. Margaret sanger was an early feminist and womens rights activist who coined the term birth control and worked towards its legalization. Today, organizations and individuals which oppose abortion and, often, birth control. Margaret sanger was born in 1879 in corning, new york, one of eleven children of irishamerican parents.
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