45 Years Of Choice With NARAL Pro-Choice America

NARAL Pro-Choice America is celebrating its 45-year anniversary. Life was a lot different 45 years ago – women were still trying to be taken seriously in the work force, Richard Nixon was president and abortion was illegal in some states. Fast forward 45 years, and we're not just fighting to protect this right, we're working to make it more accessible for women across the country.

Join us in celebrating our legacy and take a look at NARAL Pro-Choice America's work over the last 45 years:

In the 1960s before Roe v. Wade legalized abortion care, many women were injured or died from unsafe, illegal back-alley abortion procedures.

In 1969, pro-choice activists founded NARAL, the National Associate for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, and from day one we’ve worked to elect pro-choice lawmakers and mobilize voters.

NARAL leaders started to win battles at the state level, and in 1973, the Supreme Court recognized a woman’s right to choose with its Roe v. Wade decision.

In the years after Roe, anti-choice forces ramped up their efforts.

We responded with the campaign “Abortion Rights: Silent No More” to share women’s stories and experiences with abortion care and dismantle prejudices and stereotypes about the women who choose abortion.

The courts have long been a focal point for our movement,

so it was a monumental victory in 1987 when we helped defeat anti-choice Supreme Court nominee Judge Robert Bork who was extremely critical about the decision to legalize abortion care.

While anti-choice forces never stopped trying to pack the courts with their allies, they also targeted abortion clinics.

In 1994, NARAL helped pass the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Signed into law by pro-choice President Bill Clinton, it prevents anti-choice violence and intimidation outside of reproductive-health clinics.

And in 1998, NARAL celebrated a victorious election cycle when they helped to elect pro-choice candidates across the country and won 97 of 114 races!

It took no time for then-President George Bush to attack abortion access – he slashed funds for family planning and packed the courts with anti-choice judges.

Together with other pro-choice organizations, in 2004, we served as a lead organizer of the March for Women’s Lives.

We brought one million people of all generations and backgrounds to Washington, D.C. where they marched in solidarity for abortion rights and trusting women to make their own reproductive-health decisions.

But the extremism continued.

Anti-choice politicians in South Dakota introduced an abortion ban in 2006, which had no exception for rape, incest, or the woman’s health, and only provided an inadequate exception for the woman’s life.

In a truly historic election,

NARAL Pro-Choice America endorsed and helped to elect pro-choice Barack Obama in 2008, America’s first African-American president.

During the 2008 election cycle,

NARAL Pro-Choice America helped elect 21 fully pro-choice members to the House, putting the House into pro-choice control under Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

Since taking office, President Obama has been an outspoken supporter of women’s reproductive freedom, and fights back against anti-choice forces that are trying to turn the clock back on women’s rights.

In 2010, we helped with health-care reform with the passage of the Affordable Care Act into law, which covers birth control, cancer screenings, and maternal care at no cost.

Anti-choice lawmakers have tried to repeal the ACA and the birth-control benefit ever since.

In 2012, NARAL Pro-Choice America helped to defeat the Blunt amendment that would have taken away insurance coverage for birth control.

NARAL Pro-Choice America continues to work with countless pro-choice leaders to make sure women have access to safe, legal, abortion and reproductive-health care.

It's been a great 45 years, and we look forward to many more pro-choice gains in the next 45 years.

Happy Birthday, NARAL Pro-Choice America!