First Birth Control Clinic, 1916
About the First Birth Control Clinic
The First Birth Control Clinic, opened by Margaret Sanger in Brooklyn, New York, in 1916, was a huge moment in the movement for reproductive rights. Sanger, a nurse and activist, established the clinic to provide women, particularly working-class and immigrant women, with access to contraception and information about family planning. This act directly challenged laws prohibiting the distribution of contraceptive information, such as the Comstock Act. Within days of opening, the clinic was shut down by the police, and Sanger was arrested, sparking a national debate about women’s right to control their own bodies. The clinic marked the beginning of the organized birth control movement in the United States, ultimately leading to the establishment of Planned Parenthood and significant changes in reproductive healthcare and women’s autonomy.
The Case for Birth Control, Margaret Sanger
