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⁾