Planned Parenthood in N.Y. Disavows Margaret Sanger Over Eugenics

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8. I disagree with the decision that Planned Parenthood has made.

Margaret Sanger dedicated her life to helping women and children of ALL races, colors, creeds, and income levels to lead happier, healthier, longer lives. She was truly one of the leading humanitarians of the 20th century. She put herself at great personal risk to help ALL women and children. And she was respected and admired by ALL the Black leaders of her era.

Coretta Scott King accepted Planned Parenthood's first annual Margaret Sanger Award on Dr King's behalf. Her words before delivering his acceptance speech:

"I am proud tonight to say a word in behalf of your mentor, and the person who symbolizes the ideas of this organization, Margaret Sanger. Because of her dedication, her deep convictions, and for her suffering for what she believed in, I would like to say that I am proud to be a woman tonight."

From Dr King's acceptance speech:

"There is a striking kinship between our movement and Margaret Sanger's early efforts. She, like we, saw the horrifying conditions of ghetto life. Like we, she knew that all of society is poisoned by cancerous slums. Like we, she was a direct actionist - a nonviolent resister. She was willing to accept scorn and abuse until the truth she saw was revealed to the millions. At the turn of the century she went into the slums and set up a birth control clinic, and for this deed she went to jail because she was violating an unjust law. Yet the years have justified her actions. She launched a movement which is obeying a higher law to preserve human life under humane conditions. Margaret Sanger had to commit what was then called a crime in order to enrich humanity, and today we honor her courage and vision; for without them there would have been no beginning. Our sure beginning in the struggle for equality by nonviolent direct action may not have been so resolute without the tradition established by Margaret Sanger and people like her. Negroes have no mere academic nor ordinary interest in family planning. They have a special and urgent concern."