Margaret Sanger

Margaret Sanger was a pioneering American birth control activist, sex educator, and feminist. Born on September 14, 1879, in Corning, New York, she grew up in a family that valued education and social reform. Sanger's early life was marked by tragedy, including the death of her mother from tuberculosis, which left her with a deep sense of loss and a desire to understand the mysteries of life and death. This experience would later influence her work in promoting birth control and women's reproductive rights. Throughout her life, Sanger was driven by a passion for social justice and a desire to empower women. She began her career as a nurse, working with poor and immigrant communities in New York City. Her experiences on the front lines of public health care exposed her to the devastating consequences of poverty, poor living conditions, and lack of access to healthcare. Sanger's work with women and children led her to become increasingly frustrated with the lack of access to birth control and the limited reproductive options available to women. Her advocacy for birth control and women's rights led to the establishment of the American Birth Control League, which later became Planned Parenthood.