Jordan talks with Daniel Williams about the history of the pro-life movement before Roe v. Wade. They cover topics like: What does it mean to be pro-life? Why do many histories of postwar American politics treat the pro-life movement as a reaction against Roe vs Wade only? Who were the very first to be "pro-life"? Were Catholics the first pro-lifers? Did they initially see any distinction between contraception and abortion? What about Protestants? Why was there such a consensus for the legality of abortion initially in the 60's? What were they key strategic changes that the pro-lifers made in the late sixities and early seventies that helped? Why did they initially fail before making these changes? Was the pro-life movement just a republican platform from its inception? Did it cross political allegiances? Was it once a democractic platform? What happened? And more!

Resources:

1) Defenders of the Unborn: The Pro-Life Movement before Roe v. Wade, Daniel K. Williams