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Bill Baird

Bill Baird (born 1932) is a reproductive rights activist who operated women’s health clinics and initiated several legal cases to secure women’s rights to contraception and abortion.

Bill Baird on the cover of the Boston Globe Magazine
Bill Baird on the cover of the Boston Globe Magazine, June 9, 1985, from the Papers of Bill Baird. Photo by Kevin Grady
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Bill Baird Papers Research Guide: Reproduction, Family Planning, and the Debate Over Abortion

Bill Baird is a reproductive rights activist who operated women’s health clinics and initiated several legal cases to secure women’s rights to contraception and abortion.

Baird's 1967 arrest and conviction for distributing contraception at an event at Boston University resulted in the 1972 Supreme Court case Eisenstadt v. Baird, which legalized contraception for all women. Baird’s clinic in Hempstead, New York was firebombed by pro-life activists in 1979. Baird later worked to de-escalate violence against abortion clinics.  With Father Frank Pavone, the national director of Priests for Life, Baird held “peace meetings,” and issued a joint statement advocating nonviolence in both pro-life and pro-choice demonstrations.

Bill Baird on the cover of the Boston Globe Magazine
Norma Swenson (left) and Bill Baird (right) holding banner that states "A Woman's Life is a Human Life" at event
Bill Baird speaking at abortion demonstration in Union Square concerning the Hyde Amendment
Group of people attending anti-choice and pro-choice demonstrations at Action for Life conference
3 people attending abortion demonstrations
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The Bill Baird papers document his clinics, lawsuits, and relationships with pro-life activists. They contain letters from women and men seeking abortions, and contain a large amount of ephemera created by pro-life and pro-choice activists.

Collections

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Betty Friedan at Second Women's March Betty Friedan at Second Women's March Betty Friedan at podium Betty Friedan, seated with copies of her book Portrait of Betty Friedan working at a desk with a typewriter Portrait of Betty Friedan in Junior High School

Betty Friedan

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Portrait of Florynce Kennedy speaking at California State University

Florynce Kennedy

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Portrait of Murray seated in front of a Magnolia tree Portrait of Murray Portrait of Murray seated in front of a Magnolia tree Portrait of Pauli Murray Pauli Murray standing in front of a microphone, reading from Dark Testament and Other Poems Portrait of Murray wearing her clerical collar

Pauli Murray

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Group of women attending NOW conference in Houston Group of women attending NOW conference in Houston Group portrait of NOW founders at NOW's organizing conference in Washington, DC Women at National ERA March Women holding NOW and "Lesbian Rights" signs at Lake Worth Gay/Lesbian Pride event People attending the NOW demonstration

Records of the National Organization for Women

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Group portrait of Black Women Oral History Project Advisory Board Portrait of Rosa Parks Group portrait of Black Women Oral History Project Advisory Board Portrait of Ozeline Wise Portrait of Dorothy Height Portrait of Eva B. Dykes

Black Women Oral History Project

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June Jordan seated in front of bookcase June Jordan seated outdoors in grass June Jordan seated in front of bookcase June Jordan, on far right, with Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Nana Maynard, Ntzoke Shange, Vertamae Grosvenor and others

June Jordan

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Portrait of Dorothy West, seated in chair on a deck Dorothy West autographs a book at the book party held at Reckling Studio in her honor Dorothy West in her New York City apartment. West is seated on a couch, holding a pad of paper on her lap Dorothy West standing in front of a pier at Oak Bluffs beach on Martha's Vineyard Portrait of Dorothy West seated at her writing desk

Dorothy West

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Portrait of Susan B. Anthony Portrait of Susan B. Anthony Portraits of Stanton and Anthony together Susan B. Anthony seated, and reading a book Susan B. Anthony and others, possibly members of the Anthony family, on porch Side profile portrait of Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony

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Alice Paul Papers Schlesinger Olvwork20002619 Portrait of Paul, holding a book Alice Paul Papers Schlesinger Olvwork20002619 Portrait of Alice Paul Anna Wiley telephoning Doris Stevens accompanied by other women Photograph of Alice Paul sewing stars on the suffrage flag as others look on

Alice Paul

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Portrait of Maud Wood Park Portrait of Maud Wood Park Gathering in front of the National American Woman Suffrage Association headquarters on the arrival of Jeannette Rankin in Washington as the first U. S. Congresswoman Portrait of Maud Wood Park wearing cap and gown Maud Wood laying on rock, outdoors Group portrait of eight women holding a sign listing the planks to be presented by the NLWV to the Democratic Platform Committee. Pattie Ruffner Jacobs (left) and Maud Wood Park (right) are holding the sign

Maud Wood Park Papers in the Woman's Rights Collection

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Group portrait of members of the Blackwell family on a dwelling porch Group portrait of members of the Blackwell family on a dwelling porch Portrait of Marian Blackwell seated Elizabeth Blackwell seated with an open book on her lap View of Antoinette Louisa Brown Blackwell (right) and Alice Stone Blackwell (left) seated in a horse-drawn carriage decorated with flowers for a parade Woman's Journal button with portrait of Lucy Stone

Blackwell Family

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