The Pre-Roe Pro-Life Movement in Minnesota and New York

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ecognized that MCCL “produced one of the more professional-looking newspapers in the movement.” 63 Naturally, the NRLC wished to recruit the best; overall, the NRLC often looked to the Minnesota ranks for leadership in cause and communication. Just like so many MCCL founders beside her, Hartle followed the trajectory of the abortion debate in a self-defined “mind-stretching experience” to move from the state to the national level. 64 She remained at the NRLC News as editor until 1976, and later founded the Human Life Alliance in 1977. 65 The Human Life Alliance represented yet another push and group of interested activists in support of a Human Life Amendment to the constitution. Alice remained active in the movement for decades, until she passed away. While Hartle no longer remains active in the pro-life cause, both the Human Life Alliance and MCCL maintain their offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota today. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Judith “Judy” Fink became involved in the anti-abortion movement by founding Pennsylvanians for Human Life, a group similar in structure and tactics (although not in rank) to MCCL. By 1973, she moved from the state to national level with many leaders as the chairman of the Inter-Group Liaison Committee of the NRLC. 66 Like Mecklenburg, Fink was a Protestant woman determined to counter the stereotypes of the 1970s anti-abortion/pro-life movement as one led by, and primarily concerned with, Roman Catholic males. As part of a campaign to place more women in positions of power, the NRLC appointed Fink secretary in 1974. She held this position when the largely Protestant clan (of Mecklenburg, Greene, Schaller, 63 Paige, 83. 64 Alice Hartle, “Thanks a Lot, Alice – Lotsa Luck, Nancy!,” MCCL Newsletter, December 1973, page 2, MCCL Archives. 65 Marlene C. Reid, “35 Years of Roe: The Killing Continues,” 22 January, 2008, accessed 25 February 2012, . 66 “250 MCCL’ers Participate in Convention Activities,” MCCL Newsletter, December 1973, page 1, MCCL Archives. 87
Lampe, and others) split to form ACCL. Fink held the position throughout the 1970s, but disappeared from NRLC letterheads in 1980. The degree of Fink’s activism remains unclear in the 1980s, but regardless, she represents a woman like Mecklenburg who wished to broaden the scope of the national movement to grant it greater success. Mildred Jefferson also represented a woman far from the media stereotype of the pro-life activist. Originally from Texas, she was Methodist (and was in fact, the daughter of a Methodist minister) but did not actively practice the religion. She was an African American surgeon and the first black woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School. 67 Jefferson served as the NRLC president from 1975-78 and ascended to the role after serving as the vice-chairman of the board under Mecklenburg for two years. 68 Unlike Mecklenburg, however, Jefferson did not believe there were any circumstances under which abortions should be performed, nor did she believe in birth control. In line with Catholic doctrine but atypical as an activist in the organization, Jefferson was seen as the “ideal candidate to shatter stereotypes” for the NRLC. 69 The New York Times once questioned her leadership against that of the Catholic bishops; furthering the NRLC’s attempt to avoid alienating non-Catholics, she replied, “[t]he Catholic Church is not leading the Right to Life Committee, I am.” 70 Jefferson was also valuable for identifying potential aid from and alignment with the Right on the political spectrum during the 67 Charles B. Fancher Jr., “Much in common but worlds apart,” Inquirer, 23 April 1978, 1G, ACCL Records, Box 22, Folder: ACCL Admin File: People – General – Mildred Jefferson, Gerald R. Ford Library. 68 National Right to Life News, September 1973, Ford Vice Presidential Papers, Deputy Assistant for Scheduling and Appointments Files: 1973-74, Warren S. Rustand, Executive Protective Service Clearance Forms to Jerry Ford Day, Box 175, Folder: Invitations/Visits: Anti-Abortion Groups, Gerald R. Ford Library. 69 Jefferson “alludes to the fact that most of the country’s poor are non-white, and she has called free abortions were a type of genocide.” She claimed, “The people who are fewer…will disappear faster.” Charles B. Fancher Jr., “Much in common but worlds apart,” Inquirer, 23 April 1978, 1G, ACCL Records, Box 22, Folder: ACCL Admin File: People – General – Mildred Jefferson, Gerald R. Ford Library; and Paige, 85. 70 New York Times, 1 March 1976, article quoted in Paige, 85. 88
Page 1 and 2:
Abortion as a “Medical Problem Br
Page 3 and 4:
Table of Contents Acknowledgements
Page 5 and 6:
Abbreviations ACCL - American Citiz
Page 7 and 8:
this first neighborhood grassroots
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in New York, California, and Colora
Page 11 and 12:
is a unique and important one to te
Page 13 and 14:
major factors led to MCCL’s victo
Page 15 and 16:
Well before Blackmun’s 1972 Mayo
Page 17 and 18:
Chapter 1: The Pre-History of the C
Page 19 and 20:
practice. The law as it stands is t
Page 21 and 22:
would have functioned independently
Page 23 and 24:
instances also increased awareness
Page 25 and 26:
threat of abortion criminalization
Page 27 and 28:
the actions of new twentieth-centur
Page 29 and 30:
of the MCLTP. 3 In the early 1970s,
Page 31 and 32:
from the Great Depression in its se
Page 33 and 34:
underestimated his opponents, as MC
Page 35 and 36:
who shared a “communitarian ethic
Page 37 and 38:
However, the Council did not offer
Page 39 and 40:
issue-based and activist politics f
Page 41 and 42: Blake and Fred Mecklenburg and lobb
Page 43 and 44: yet united front against abortion l
Page 45 and 46: anti-abortion movement, but also be
Page 47 and 48: emerging organizations across the c
Page 49 and 50: the 1970s, and an additional thirte
Page 51 and 52: When news of Roe and Doe broke, MCC
Page 53 and 54: their efforts prior to the decision
Page 55 and 56: the part of state groups and create
Page 57 and 58: physical space in Minneapolis and r
Page 59 and 60: 58 of them were enacted. 37 Even fo
Page 61 and 62: looms as a menace to all mankind an
Page 63 and 64: War.” 56 President Gerald Ford di
Page 65 and 66: the 1976 Republican Party Platform,
Page 67 and 68: should be noted that pro-life activ
Page 69 and 70: with us.” 81 Needless to say, by
Page 71 and 72: ecord of being vindictive.” 90 Ca
Page 73 and 74: decades of involvement. Yet before
Page 75 and 76: nationwide effort organized by the
Page 77 and 78: in drastic (at the extreme, irrecon
Page 79 and 80: and increase political effectivenes
Page 81 and 82: willing to be window dressing - no
Page 83 and 84: Warren Schaller, and others to form
Page 85 and 86: women, which would become the speci
Page 87 and 88: On multiple levels, ACCL became a p
Page 89 and 90: multi-issue approach was a tactic a
Page 91: asserted, “often a few key people
Page 95 and 96: nomination. Jefferson’s tactics w
Page 97 and 98: administration. 82 Lampe took over
Page 99 and 100: and was also a member of Planned Pa
Page 101 and 102: As previously explored, Mecklenburg
Page 103 and 104: million; Schweiker’s stance and a
Page 105 and 106: Almost immediately after her appoin
Page 107 and 108: The last straw came when Mecklenbur
Page 109 and 110: on the national scene cautiously, m
Page 111 and 112: abortion debate she encountered as
Page 113 and 114: Conclusion Supreme Court Justice Ha
Page 115 and 116: legislatures, and celebrated occasi
Page 117 and 118: ecognized nationwide as “one of t
Page 119 and 120: Bibliography Archives and Interview
Page 121 and 122: Gorney, Cynthia. Articles of Faith.
Page 123: Press, Eyal. Absolute Convictions:
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The Pre-Roe Pro-Life Movement in Minnesota and New York

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