14 | DECEMBER 1 • 2022 

OUR COMMUNITY

continued from page 12

Margaret Sanger, 
a nurse, became a 
national advocate for 
“family hygiene,” a 
common euphemism 
for birth control. 
Sanger, who came 
from a poor family 
with 11 children, was 
convinced that “birth 
control was crucial 
to end the cycle of 
poverty.” (She was 
married to a Jewish 
man with whom she 
had three children).
Sanger opened the 
first family planning 
clinic in New York in 
1916 and was quickly 
arrested, convicted 
and served a month in 
jail. Eventually, a New 
York court overruled 
her conviction, loos-
ening the laws against 
contraception some-
what. In 1919, Sanger 
spoke in Detroit and a 
local Birth Control League 
was established, Terman 
learned. 

BRINGING FAMILY 
PLANNING TO DETROIT
Katharine Dexter 
McCormick, a Michigan 
woman married to the 
heir of the International 
Harvester Company, 
became an advocate for 
birth control because her 
husband had schizophrenia, 
and they feared that this 
illness would be passed on 
to any offspring. When she 
was unable to open a birth 
control clinic in Detroit, 
she passed out devices at a 
downtown hotel.
Other prominent indi-
viduals, including Dr. C.C. 
Little, president of the 
University of the Michigan, 

supported the birth control 
movement. Terman was 
particularly intrigued to 
learn of local Jewish sup-
port for family planning 
services. Morris Waldman, 
a rabbi who became a social 
worker and advocate for 
social welfare, was exec-
utive director of United 
Jewish Charities of Detroit 
during the 1920s. After 
meeting Sanger, he helped 
her open a birth control 
clinic in Detroit in 1927 — 
the only one between New 
York and Chicago. Detroit’s 
Jewish Federation provid-
ed $3,000 annually for the 
clinic.
Elsie Sulzberger, an 
active member of Temple 
Beth El and organizer of 
the National Council of 
Jewish Women, was instru-

mental in this project. 
The “Mother’s Clinic for 
Family Regulation” oper-
ated from an apartment 
and was staffed by one 
physician and one nurse. 
Their goal was to help 
mothers have fewer and 
safer pregnancies and 
reduce abortion. 
The clinic required 
referrals from local social 
service agencies for its 
patients. Typically, the 
criteria included ill health 
of the parents, another 
child’s disability or pov-
erty. 
The majority of patients 
were Protestant, with 
about 24% Catholic and 
approximately 9% Jewish. 
The clinic served African 
American women, but 
the racial climate of the 
times required that these 
patients were seen on a 
separate day.
The Jewish Federation 
supported the Mother’s 
Clinic for six years, but 
it closed during the 
Depression although 
Terman said that Sulzberger 
continued her support 
for birth control services. 
She started the Birth 
Control Center of Dunbar 
Memorial Hospital (a seg-
regated Black hospital in 
Detroit), was a member of 
the Michigan Birth Control 
League and served as vice 
president of the Detroit 
Maternal Health Section. 
According to Terman, 
the Mother’s Clinic 
eventually reopened as 
Planned Parenthood. 
Today, the board of 
Planned Parenthood of 
Michigan includes several 
members of the local Jewish 
community. 

First report of the Detroit Mother’s Clinic

Lawyers
& Latkes

The Jewish Bar Association 
of Michigan (JBAM) will 
welcome members of the legal 
community and 
their guests to its 
first Chanukah 
Party since the 
onset of the 
COVID pandemic.
The celebration 
will provide 
an excellent 
opportunity for friends and 
colleagues to mingle and 
enjoy treats of the season. The 
party will take place at 5:30-
7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at 
the Platform 18 venue, 116 E. 
Seventh Street, Royal Oak.
“Chanukah celebrates the 
Jewish people’s emancipation, 
the triumph of light over 
darkness and of freedom 
over oppression,” said Nargiz 
Nesimova, JBAM president. 
“In today’s times, it is more 
important than ever before to 
celebrate our traditions and to 
keep the flame of our religion 
alive. JBAM is very excited for 
our Chanukah Party and to 
celebrate with our members 
and guests.”
The event is free to JBAM 
members. There is an $18 
charge for guests and non-
members. Those who join 
JBAM prior to or at the event 
will be admitted for free. To 
join JBAM or to sign up for 
the party, visit jewishbar.org.

The Jewish Bar Association 
of Michigan provides 
education, resources and 
camaraderie for the legal 
community — and legal 
support to the wider 
community. For information, 
email JBAM’s President 
Nargiz Nesimova at 
nargiz.nesimova@gmail.com 
or visit jewishbar.org. 

Nargiz 
Nesimova