Mary Dennett

For the British prioress, see Mary Dennett (prior).
Mary Coffin Ware Dennett
Mary Ware Dennett, ca. 1892–1896.
Courtesy of Schlesinger Library
Born(1872-04-04)April 4, 1872 in Worcester, Massachusetts
DiedJuly 25, 1947(1947-07-25) (aged 75) in Valatie, New York
OccupationActivist

Mary Coffin Ware Dennett (April 4, 1872 – July 25, 1947) was an American women's rights activist, pacifist, homeopathic advocate, and pioneer in the areas of birth control, sex education, and women's suffrage. She co-founded the National Birth Control League in 1915 together with Jessie Ashley and Clara Gruening Stillman. She founded the Voluntary Parenthood League, served in the National American Women's Suffrage Association, and co-founded the Twilight Sleep Association with Margaret Sanger. She also wrote The Sex Side of Life, a famous pamphlet on sex education and birth control. A legal case against her, United States v. Dennett, became the catalyst for overturning the Comstock laws.

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