Newspapers declare the double news of LBJ's passing and Roe v. Wade
Pro-life demonstrators
Supporters of Roe v. Wade
January 22nd 1973: Roe v. Wade
On this day in 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that women have the right to an abortion, thus legalising abortion in the United States. The case was bought to federal court by a Texan woman under the alias of Jane Roe, and went up against Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade who represented Texas. After a decision was made in the district court, the case was referred up through the court system, eventually reaching the nation’s highest court in 1970. The all-male Supreme Court, led by Warren Burger as Chief Justice, ruled 7-2 that a right to privacy under the 14th Amendment covers a woman’s right to an abortion. The majority opinion was written by Justice Harry Blackmun, with Justices Bryon White and William Rehnquist penning dissents. The Roe decision was issued the same day as a related case called Doe v. Bolton which overturned Georgia’s anti-abortion laws. Roe v. Wade was immediately controversial, sparking celebrations in the pro-choice camp and protests from pro-lifers. It is still a divisive issue today, with its supporters arguing the decision forms a vital part of a woman’s right over her own body, and those opposed to abortion calling for the decision’s repeal. The same day as Roe v. Wade was decided, the former President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson died aged 64. The Court’s 1973 decision has since been challenged, and abortion rights have been gradually eroded in subsequent Court rulings, but the fundamental right to an abortion remains.
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