Margaret Sanger was born on September 14, 1879, in Corning, New York.1)
She was the sixth of eleven children in a working-class Irish-American family.2)
Her mother, Anne Higgins, died of tuberculosis and cervical cancer, which Sanger believed was exacerbated by having too many children.3)
Sanger trained as a nurse at White Plains Hospital and the Manhattan Eye and Ear Clinic.4)
Witnessing the suffering of women who had multiple pregnancies and unsafe abortions inspired her activism.5)
In 1902, she married architect William Sanger, with whom she had three children.6)
Sanger was influenced by the radical politics of the early 20th century, including socialism and labor activism.7)
In 1912, she wrote a column on sex education for the New York Call titled “What Every Girl Should Know.”8)
Sanger challenged the Comstock Laws, which prohibited the distribution of contraceptives and information on birth control.9)
In 1914, she started her own publication, The Woman Rebel, which advocated for birth control.10)
She was indicted for mailing The Woman Rebel under the Comstock Laws but fled to Europe to avoid arrest.11)
In Europe, Sanger met birth control pioneers who influenced her thinking and strategies.12)
In 1916, she opened the first birth control clinic in the United States in Brownsville, Brooklyn.13)
Sanger was arrested for distributing contraceptives and was convicted, serving 30 days in a workhouse.14)
Her arrest and trial brought significant publicity to the birth control movement.15)
In 1921, she founded the American Birth Control League, which later became Planned Parenthood.16)
Sanger started this journal in 1917 to disseminate information about birth control and reproductive health.17)
Sanger's association with the eugenics movement has been a point of controversy, though her primary focus remained on birth control.18)
She wrote a pamphlet titled “Family Limitation,” which provided explicit information on contraception.19)
Sanger traveled widely to promote birth control, including to Japan and India.20)
She supported sterilization in cases of hereditary diseases, which has led to criticism of her views on eugenics.21)
Sanger and her husband William separated in 1914 and later divorced; she married J. Noah H. Slee in 1922.22)
She received financial support from wealthy individuals like John D. Rockefeller Jr.23)
Sanger worked to make birth control information available to physicians and integrate it into medical practice.24)
In 1928, she published “Motherhood in Bondage,” a collection of letters from women pleading for birth control information.25)
A 1936 court decision (U.S. v. One Package) allowed doctors to prescribe contraceptives, a significant victory for Sanger's cause.26)
She established this in 1923 as a clinic and research center for contraception.27)
Sanger was a founding member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation in 1952.28)
Her advocacy was crucial in the development of the first oral contraceptive pill, approved in 1960.29)
Sanger published her autobiography, “My Fight for Birth Control,” in 1931.30)
Sanger was friends with the British writer H.G. Wells, who supported her work.31)
She often lectured and debated on the topic of birth control, facing significant opposition.32)
Sanger's work influenced Indian leaders like Gandhi and Nehru regarding population control.33)
She worked closely with scientists like Gregory Pincus to develop contraceptive methods.34)
Sanger died on September 6, 1966, in Tucson, Arizona.35)
She received numerous awards for her work, including from the American Public Health Association.36)
Sanger's life and work have been the subject of several documentaries and biographical studies.37)
Her views on eugenics and race have been widely criticized and re-examined in recent years.38)
Today, Planned Parenthood is one of the largest providers of reproductive health services in the U.S., a testament to Sanger's impact.39)
Sanger has been portrayed in various films, plays, and books, highlighting her complex legacy.40)
She was known for her powerful oratory skills and ability to sway public opinion.41)
Sanger funded research that led to the development of safer and more effective contraceptives.42)
Sanger funded research that led to the development of safer and more effective contraceptives.43)
Beyond birth control, Sanger was a strong advocate for women's rights and gender equality.44)
She promoted broader issues of women's health and hygiene, emphasizing their importance in public health.45)
Margaret Sanger's efforts have had a lasting impact on reproductive rights and women's autonomy over their own bodies.46)