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Roe v. Wade Turns 40

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Today marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court issued the landmark decision, holding that certain laws prohibiting abortion are unconstitutional.  Even though the decision is 40 years old, the controversy surrounding the case and the issue of abortion persists.

There are a number of resources available if you would like to learn more about the case, the impact it has had, and where this issue is headed.  The full opinion is available on the Legal Information Institute website and other information about the case, including a summary and audio/transcripts of the oral arguments, can be found on the Oyez Project website dedicated to the decision.  As you might expect, there are also a number of recent news reports discussing the decision and reflecting on what it means today.  Also, for current information about abortion laws and public opinion, try the National Conference of State Legislatures abortion laws site as well as the results of the recent Pew Forum survey Roe v. Wade at 40. 

The library also has several books on the topic if you would like to do more in-depth reading on the issue.  For instance, see:

A Documentary history of the legal aspects of abortion in the United States : Roe v. Wade, compiled by Roy M. Mersky and Gary R. Hartman - KF228.R59D64 1993 (3 volumes)

Roe v. Wade : the abortion rights controversy in American history, N.E.H. Hull - KF228.R59H85 2010

What Roe v. Wade should have said : the nation's top legal experts rewrite America's most controversial decision, edited by Jack M. Balkin - KF228.R59 W47 2005

The abortion rights controversy in America : a legal reader, edited by N.E.H. Hull, et al. - KF3771.A937 2004

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