Margaret Sanger Awards

The Margaret Sanger Award is an honor awarded annually by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America since 1966. Created to honor the legacy of Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, it is the Federation's highest honor. It is given to individuals to recognize excellence and leadership in the reproductive health and rights movement.

The first Sanger awards were given in 1966 under four categories, Human Rights, Medicine, Leadership and Service, on the 50th anniversary of Planned Parenthood's founding. The award in human rights was presented to Martin Luther King who was unable to attend due to "pressing business concerning his Chicago movement," his wife, Coretta Scott King, received the award in his place.Carl G. Hartman was awarded with the award in medicine for his research that led to the discovery of basic principles of birth control methods. He was also unable to be present to receive it due to illness.Betty Mary Goetting was the third person to receive the National Margaret Sanger Award for her work in promoting birth control in El Paso, Texas.Lyndon Baines Johnson, then president, received the award in World Leadership for his "vigorous and far-sighted leadership" in implementing a national family planning policy. He sent his labor secretary, Willard Wirtz, to receive it on his behalf. The final award was presented to William Draper for service in voluntary family planning, he was the only recipient who was present to receive the award.

Philanthropist John D. Rockefeller III won the second Sanger Award in World Leadership for 1967. His recognition underscored his being instrumental in organizing the first World Population Conference as well as his founding of the Population Council. After Rockefeller, Ernest Gruening received the 1968 Margaret Sanger Award in World Leadership. At the time he was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Alaska.

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