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Obscenity (Law)

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Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Knute Nelson

President Roosevelt approves of an amendment that Senator Nelson of Minnesota sent to him, although he suggests a slight change. Roosevelt has considered the petition of a number of people to pardon C. W. Malchow, a doctor who has been convicted for circulating obscene literature; but upon further research into the case feels that “it is a hideous and loathsome book,” and that he “would as soon see poison circulated in the household as see that book put therein,” and therefore feels the man should serve his whole sentence.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Shameful neglect of one of the greatest of American industries

Andrew V. Henry writes in support of subsidies for American shipping. He argues that the United States does not have an adequate merchant marine force and that the economy is losing out on the benefits of reduced freight rates. Other article topics include the banning of indecent theater posters in New York, David J. Brewer’s recent commencement speech, a poem by Minna Irving, and details of the bribery charges against Frank J. Gethro.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-31

Creator(s)

Henry, Andrew V.

A “birth control” lecture tour

Margaret Sanger writes about her nationwide speaking engagement tour about birth control and family planning. Sanger discusses events and responses in various cities. She indicates that in St. Louis more people came to hear her speak than had come when Theodore Roosevelt and William H. Taft spoke in the city. Sanger accounts various arrests related to obscenity laws and the distribution of birth control pamphlets.

Collection

The Margaret Sanger Papers Project

Creation Date

1916-08-09

Creator(s)

Sanger, Margaret, 1879-1966

Mrs. Sanger defies courts before 3,000

The New York Times reports that Margaret Sanger spoke to a large crowd at Carnegie Hall in New York the previous evening. Sanger spoke about birth control and the importance of disseminating the information to women, particularly women of the working classes who are prevented from the education that upper class women receive. Sanger criticized former President Roosevelt, stating that he was freely allowed to discuss female reproduction when he encouraged large families. She discussed Roosevelt’s home of Oyster Bay, New York, claiming that sixty-three “poor mothers” from the area had sought her help on matters of birth control.

Collection

The Margaret Sanger Papers Project

Creation Date

1917-01-30

Creator(s)

Unknown

Woman rebel scores Roosevelt as enslaver of mothers in U.S.

In an interview with Margaret Sanger, the Denver Post reports on the reformer’s efforts in the area of birth control and her desire for “better babies or no babies.” Sanger claimed that former President Roosevelt had “enslaved” American women and children with his policies and ideas concerning family reproduction. She stated that Roosevelt’s efforts in encouraging American couples to rear large families was “willy-nilly” and that the former president’s personality encouraged people, particularly women, to listen to him. Sanger emphatically called Roosevelt “foolish” and accused him of creating “tenants for our insane asylums, prisons and alms’ houses.”

Collection

The Margaret Sanger Papers Project

Creation Date

1916-05-17

Creator(s)

Wayne, Frances

The woman rebel: No gods no masters

Margaret Sanger writes that the first edition of her journal The Woman Rebel was returned by the postmaster because it violated anti-obscenity laws. Sanger sarcastically declares her intentions to be more patriotic, claiming she will follow former President Roosevelt’s example and champion for large families. However, while Roosevelt stated the country needed large families to prevent race suicide, Sanger claims that large numbers of children are necessary to “uphold” all of America’s areas of failing–public schools, factories, asylums, prisons, courts, and “slums”–in a satirical critique.

Collection

The Margaret Sanger Papers Project

Creation Date

1914-04

Creator(s)

Sanger, Margaret, 1879-1966

My fight for birth control

Margaret Sanger writes of her efforts and struggles to bring birth control education to working class women in order to combat issues such as infant and maternal mortality, abortion, and poverty. Sanger argues that it is unfair that she is considered immoral for urging working class couples to have small families while former President Roosevelt is lauded as moral for encouraging them to have large families in order to prevent race suicide.

Collection

The Margaret Sanger Papers Project

Creation Date

1917-04

Creator(s)

Sanger, Margaret, 1879-1966

History of education

In her draft of a speech in response to her trial on The Woman Rebel dissemination, Margaret Sanger discusses social problems and the manner in which birth control can address these issues and help the working class. Sanger critiques anti-obscenity laws and the notion of birth control education as pornography. She asks whether former President Roosevelt is truly moral for encouraging large families and she is immoral for encouraging small families. Sanger also addresses the charge that her article concerning an assassination attempt incited murder. She includes quotations from well-known ancient orators and writers and also from Roosevelt, claiming that if these writings on assassination are not accused of inciting murder, she should not be accused of such either.

Collection

The Margaret Sanger Papers Project

Creation Date

1916-01

Creator(s)

Sanger, Margaret, 1879-1966