Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012
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Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:15. pregnancy, motherhood, and choice in twentieth-century arizona Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:15. Women’s Western Voices Series Editor Laura Woodworth-Ney Board Members Kimberly Alido Miorslava Chávez García Jennifer Nez Denetdale Dee Garceau-Hagen Michael J. Lansing Laurie Mercier Colleen O’Neill Barbara Reyes Sandra K. Schackel Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:15. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona mary s. melcher Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:15. © 2012 The Arizona Board of Regents All rights reserved www.uapress.arizona.edu Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Melcher, Mary S., 1955– Pregnancy, motherhood, and choice in twentieth-century Arizona / Mary S. Melcher. p. cm. — (Women’s western voices) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8165-2846-2 (cloth :alk. paper) 1. Birth control—Arizona—History— 20th century. 2. Family planning—Arizona—History—20th century. 3. Pregnant women—Services for—Arizona—History—20th century. 4. Prenatal care—Arizona— History—20th century. 5. Mothers—Services for—Arizona—History—20th century. I. Title. HQ766.5.U5M476 2012 363.9'609791—dc23 2012007459 Publication of this book is made possible in part by the proceeds of a permanent endowment created with the assistance of a Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency. Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright Manufactured in the United States of America on acid-free, archival-quality paper containing a minimum of 30% postconsumer waste and processed chlorine free. 17 16 15 14 13 12 6 5 4 3 2 1 Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:15. Contents Illustrations vii Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1 “You’re My Miracle”: Babies, Birth Rates, and Health Care, 1910– 1940 18 2 Saving the Babies: Lowering Infant Mortality in the Southwest 38 3 Margaret Sanger and the Arizona Birth Control Movement 57 4 “Tis a Sobering Experience”: Providing Contraceptives for the Rural and Urban Poor 77 5 Battling Poverty and Isolation to Improve Mothers’ and Infants’ Health 95 6 “Rhythm Babies,” Birth Control, and Planned Parenthood: Years of Growth and Change 111 7 Arizona and Abortion Reform: Conflict without Resolution 135 8 Providing Reproductive Health Care in a New, More Politicized Era 161 9 Pregnancy and Choice: Reproductive Health in Twentieth-Century Arizona 178 Notes 187 Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright Bibliography 227 Index 241 Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:24. Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:24. Illustrations Figures Elizabeth Hanks Curtis 32 Margaret Sanger with clients and volunteers, Mothers’ Health Clinic 66 Tucson clinic party at Margaret Sanger’s home 68 Migrant family, outside of Chandler, Arizona 79 Migrant mother, Buckeye, Arizona 83 FSA migrant camp, near Eloy 85 Bishop Daniel Gercke 90 Annie Wauneka 102 Dr. Pearl Tang with a young patient 105 Antiabortion protest 165 Tables 1. Arizona population by ethnic group 11 2. Children under age of 5 per 1,000 women (age 15–45) 22 3. Arizona infant mortality rates, 1924 46 4. Arizona infant mortality in the 1920s 51 5. Migrant women and baby spacing 81 6. Indian infant deaths, Arizona and New Mexico, 1959–1960 100 7. Birth rates (live births per 1,000 population) 113 Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright vii Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:33. Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:33. Acknowledgments Many different people have contributed to this book, including those who shared their experiences and stories through oral history interviews, archi- vists who found documents and photos, as well as professors, friends, and colleagues who read earlier drafts and chapters. My work on this topic began in the early 1990s when I wrote a graduate seminar paper on Mon- tana women and issues related to reproduction at Arizona State University in Mary Rothschild’s class. Later, she also directed my dissertation at ASU, which included a chapter on reproduction related to Arizona ranch and farm women. Mary’s enthusiastic support and encouragement throughout the years have been invaluable. Many people have generously provided oral histories, sharing their ideas and experiences concerning women’s reproduction, the birth con- trol movement, and political controversies related to these issues. These oral histories are extremely important to this work because written sources about the history of reproduction are limited. The interviewees provided valuable commentary on this vital part of women’s lives. Many thanks go out to them for agreeing to be interviewed. Meeting and getting to know these people has been a wonderful experience. This is one of the reasons that I love doing a large history project—you meet such fascinating people along the way. Archivists and collections specialists at several institutions have pro- Copyright © 2012. University of Arizona Press. All rights reserved. of Arizona Press. © 2012. University Copyright vided assistance over the years including the following: Kim Frontz, Kate Reeve, and Jill McLeary at the Arizona Historical Society, Tucson; Ashley Smith, Arizona Historical Society in Tempe; Melanie Sturgeon, State Ar- ix Melcher, Mary S.. Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Choice in Twentieth-Century Arizona, University of Arizona Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaz/detail.action?docID=4790343. Created from uaz on 2021-01-21 13:12:39. x • Acknowledgments chivist, Wendi Goen, Nancy Sawyer, and Don Langlois, Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records; Christine Marin and Rob Spindler, Archives and Special Collections, Hayden Library, Arizona State Univer- sity; Linda Whitaker, Rebekah Tabah and Susan Irwin at the Arizona His- torical Foundation; and Karen Underhill, Northern Arizona University Cline Library. Without these wonderful archivists, historical work in Ari- zona would grind to a halt, and their dedication and skill in preserving Arizona’s archival resources is much appreciated. Friends and colleagues have read various chapters of the manuscript, providing helpful comments, criticism, and ideas. They include Melanie Sturgeon, Christine Marin, Mary Rothschild, and Gwen Harvey, all from Arizona, as well as Julene Schlack of Seattle, Washington, and my sister, Joan Melcher, a writer and editor from Missoula, Montana. Thanks also to those who provided encouragement and advice over the years, such as Elizabeth Horan, Keith Miller, Heidi Osselaer, Joan Meacham, Jean Reynolds, and Laura Stone. My husband, Tom Post, has provided techno- logical support and good humor, while our grown children, Jesselyn, Jer- emy and Katie, have contributed laughs along the way. This book is dedicated with much love to my mother,