Bessie Moses

Bessie Moses (1893–1965) was a prominent gynecologist and birth control advocate in the United States. She was the founder and director of the Baltimore Bureau for Contraceptive Advice, which later became the Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

Early Life and Education

Bessie Moses was born in 1893 in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she graduated in 1922. After graduation, she completed her residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Career

In 1927, Moses founded the Baltimore Bureau for Contraceptive Advice, the first birth control clinic in Maryland. The clinic provided contraceptive advice and services to women, regardless of their marital status or ability to pay. Moses served as the director of the clinic until her retirement in 1956.

Moses was also a strong advocate for the legalization of birth control. She testified before the United States Congress in support of the Birth Control Act of 1932, which sought to legalize the dissemination of birth control information and devices.

In addition to her work in birth control, Moses was a respected gynecologist. She was a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and served as a clinical professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Legacy

Moses' work in birth control and women's health has had a lasting impact. The Baltimore Bureau for Contraceptive Advice, which she founded, continues to provide services as the Planned Parenthood of Maryland. Her advocacy for the legalization of birth control contributed to the eventual passage of the Birth Control Act.