Section Branding
Header Content
Before The Legal Fight For Abortion
Primary Content
Nearly 44 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized getting an abortion with its Roe v. Wade decision. The battle over abortion rights goes back a long way in the United States, long before the landmark decision in 1973. There was a time in the 19th century when abortions during early pregnancy were legal according to common law. But by 1880, most states had passed anti-abortion laws. For a look back on the history of abortion, we talked with University of Illinois professor Leslie Reagan, author of the book “When Abortion Was a Crime.”