About the Program
Historian Elaine Tyler May chronicles the history of the birth control pill. Professor May argues that the Pill had two mothers: birth control pioneer Margaret Sanger and women's rights activist Katharine McCormick. She argues that the most important change brought about by the Pill was for married couples, making it possible for women to plan careers. Elaine May is interviewed by American Enterprise Institute scholar Christina Hoff Sommers.
Elaine Tyler May
Elaine Tyler May is professor of American Studies and History at the University of Minnesota. Professor May's books include: "Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era," "Barren in the Promised Land: Childless Americans and the Pursuit of Happiness," "Pushing the Limits: American Women 1940-1961," and "Created Equal: A Social and Political History of the United States (co-author)." She served as president of the Organization of American Historians in 2009 and 2010.