Abortion and African Americans

Since abortion was legalized in 1973, the African American community has been absolutely devastated.  Almost half of all African American pregnancies end in abortion—16 million tiny lives have been lost.  Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “The Negro cannot win if he is willing to sacrifice the futures of his children for immediate personal comfort and safety.”  Although he was not speaking of abortion (he once accepted an award from Planned Parenthood), according to his niece Dr. Alveda King, his words on non-violence should lead us all to question the violence of abortion.  

• Since abortion was legalized in 1973, the lives of over 49 million babies have been extinguished.  Over 16 million of these abortions have killed African American babies.
• In 2004, Caucasian women underwent 161 abortions per 1,000 births, Hispanics chose abortion at the rate of 211 abortions per 1,000 live births, while African American women chose 472 abortions per 1,000 live births.  Over 47% of African American pregnancies end in abortion.
• While only comprising 13% of the female population, African American abortions account for a disproportionate 38% of all abortions.
• Abortion is the leading cause of death among African Americans.  Combined deaths from HIV/AIDS, violent crime, accidents, cancer, and heart disease still do not come close to the 16 million African American babies who have died by abortion.
• Abortion has reduced the African American population by 39.6%--3 times more than the representative percentage in the total population for the United States.
• Between 1882 and 1968, 3,446 African Americans were lynched in the United States.  That number is surpassed within three days by abortion.  Abortionists take the lives of approximately 1,275 African American children each day.