Margaret Sanger
- Born:
- September 14, 1879, Corning, New York, USA
- Died:
- September 6, 1966, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Birth Control Activist, Sex Educator, Nurse, Writer
Early Life and Education
- Born Margaret Higgins, the sixth of eleven children.
- Trained as a nurse at the White Plains Hospital Training School for Nurses, graduating in 1902.
Career and Major Achievements
- Early work involved nursing in poor immigrant neighborhoods in New York City, where she witnessed the consequences of unwanted pregnancies.
- Opened the first birth control clinic in the United States in 1916, leading to her arrest and subsequent legal battles.
- Founded the American Birth Control League in 1921, which later became the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
- Advocated for the legalization of contraception and women's reproductive rights.
- Sanger's work included promoting eugenics, and accusations have been made related to the "Margaret Sanger Negro Project Snopes," alleging discriminatory intent behind her efforts to provide birth control services to African American communities. Historical context and interpretations of her motivations continue to be debated.
- Played a key role in the development of the birth control pill.
Notable Works
- What Every Girl Should Know (1916)
- Woman and the New Race (1920)
- The Pivot of Civilization (1922)
- My Fight for Birth Control (1931) (Autobiography)
Legacy and Impact
Margaret Sanger was a pivotal figure in the birth control movement and a controversial figure due to her eugenic views and the historical context of her activism. Her efforts led to the wider availability and acceptance of contraception, impacting women's reproductive health and family planning options. However, her legacy is also marked by criticism regarding the "Margaret Sanger Negro Project Snopes" allegations and her association with eugenics, subjects that continue to spark debate about the complexities and ethical implications of her work.