THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Kenneth C. Edelin, M.D.

March 31, 1939 – December 30, 2013

“I see the faces of pro-choice America and what a beautiful sight you are. Men and women’s faces. Black, white and brown faces. Old and young faces. Democratic and Republican faces. We are the faces of pro-choice America and we have come here today to our nation’s capital to show our faces to the politicians who want to ignore us. To the extremists who try to oppress us. To our opponents who dare underestimate us. We’re here today to show our faces and to lift our voices in the biggest strongest loudest cry for freedom this country has ever heard.” –  Dr. Edelin speaking to the crowd at The National Organization for Women rally in Washington, D.C., April 5, 1992

One of the heroes of the reproductive rights movement. Dedicated his life to ensuring that women have access to safe and legal reproductive health care services. The first African American to be named chief resident in obstetrics and gynecology at Boston City Hospital, 1973. The following year, after performing a legal second-trimester abortion, he was indicted for manslaughter and convicted in 1975. In 1976, the verdict was overturned by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Dr. Edelin’s triumph over those who sought to impose their personal religious and political views as the law of the land is still powerfully relevant and was graphically described in his book Broken Justice: A True Story of Race, Sex and Revenge in a Boston Courtroom. Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Boston University School of Medicine, director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Boston City Hospital and gynecologist-in-chief at Boston University Hospital. Served as chairperson of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 1990–1992.