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February is Black History Month. Black history month dates back to 1915 but before it was nationally recognized, Dr. Carter G. Woodson established the first "Negro History Week" in February 1926. Woodson, affectionately known as the “Father of Black History," chose February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, for their prominent roles in Black American history.
As I consider Black History in the context of the prolife work it is nearly impossible to not consider the well-known facts about Planned Parenthood and their origins. It has been clearly established that Planned Parenthood was founded on racist principles by a woman named Margaret Sanger. Sanger, so motivated by her hatred for African American people, first launched Planned Parenthood as “The Negro Project.”
In a letter from Sanger to Dr. Clarence Gamble, a close friend and eventual Planned Parenthood Physician and Board Member, Sanger expressed her intentions to “exterminate the negro population.” Among some of Sanger’s other strategies were her plans to “employ a full-time Negro physician” to garner more trust from the black population as well as hire black ministers to push birth control stating, “The ministers’ work is also important and also, he should be trained, perhaps by the Federation as to our ideals and the goal that we hope to reach. We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population. And the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.”
I will trust that no one needs convincing of the sheer evil behind Planned Parenthood’s beginnings, and sadly that hasn’t changed today. Planned Parenthood continues to operate near dense city centers within miles of lower income, and typically diverse communities making black women the highest percentage still today of those receiving abortions. It should alarm and grieve us that such evil, often directed at a particular people group is praised by some still today under the banner of “women’s reproductive rights”.
In a world where the truth is frequently contested, it is essential to base our understanding of the value of human life on enduring principles that transcend cultural changes and individual perspectives. The foundation of our nation rests on the belief that certain truths are self-evident, including that all people are created equal and have unalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This statement recognizes the inherent worth of every human being and is established by God Himself through His Word.
Scripture contains a simple yet profound statement that captures this principle: "In Him was life" (John 1:4a). This statement regarding Jesus Christ reveals a profound supernatural truth that ought to influence our understanding of all existence and that is, Jesus is the Creator of life. John 1:3 states, "Through him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made."
The origin of life transcends biology, it represents a divine act of creation. From conception, every life is inherently valuable, bearing the mark of his or her Creator. Thus, it remains important, albeit surprisingly so, that we emphasize that this intrinsic value applies to all lives.
Scripture calls us to a higher view of human life - one that sees every person, born and preborn, as bearing the image of God and possessing inherent dignity and worth. This perspective should inform our personal choices, our advocacy, and our treatment of others, especially the most vulnerable among us. And during the month of February as we consider Black History Month, we should be grieved at the way in which so many Black lives have been devalued and destroyed in large part through the advancement of abortion with Planned Parenthood leading the charge.
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