Oral

The purpose is to provide historical analysis to remind of us past abuses and inform current work about reproductive rights. Organized by Alexandra M. Stern (who has previously presented on this topic in the Spirit of 1848 history session), the session will be introduced by Anne-Emanuelle Birn, from the Spirit of 1848 social history subcommittee, and will include presentations by: (1) Dr. Gregory Dorr, on “Poor Women, Poor Choices: The Dilemma of Civil Rights and Reproductive Health in the 1970s” (focusing on the 1973 Relf case, about the wrongful sterilization of two African American teenagers in Alabama), (2) Dr. Paul Lombardo, on “Looking Back at Buck v. Bell” (the 1927 Supreme Court decision that allowed states to perform mandatory sexual sterilization of persons who were mentally retarded, epileptic, or otherwise judged “socially inadequate”), and (3) Dr. Elena Gutierrez, who as discussant will reflect on both the presented papers and the more recent US histories of policing reproduction, especially among women of color. Two Spirit of 1848 members, Emily Galpern and Birgit Remier, will work together with Alexandra Stern and the panelists to create a resource guide (listing books, articles, and websites) for current organizing around reproductive rights. All presentations will be solicited. No unsolicited abstracts will be considered for this session. This session will be held at the American Public Health Association 135th Annual Meeting in Washington DC on Monday, November 5, 2007 in the 10:30 to 12 noon APHA time slot.

Session Objectives: 1. Learn about the history of eugenic sterilization in the United States. 2. Learn how the politics of race, class, and gender play out in past and present efforts to police reproduction in the United States. 3. Recognize the importance of the social history of public health for contemporary public health issues.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing