Tell "Life Always" That The Most Dangerous Place for an African American Is Not in the Womb

How We Won

Feb 25, 2011

After hundreds of Change.org members called for an anti-abortion billboard targeting African-Americans to be taken down, the billboard owner agreed!

It all began when Texas group Life Always posted a massive billboard in New York City featuring a picture of a small black girl combined with this message: “The most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb."

The billboard so offended New York City Councilwoman Letitia James that she launched a Change.org petition targeting Life Always and billboard owner Lamar Advertising, asking them to remove it.

“This was a dirty attack on Planned Parenthood and on our reproductive services for women,” Councilwoman James told Change.org. “To mask it under the guise of being concerned about black children was offensive to me.”

More than two hundred Change.org members answered the call, and in less than 48 hours Lamar Advertising announced that it would take the billboard down.

Thanks so much for taking action!

Why This Is Important

It is difficult to believe mere months after the tragedy in Arizona where Jared Lee Loughner shot nineteen people including six who were killed, that some groups are still using vitriolic language and metaphors of intolerance to advance their political agendas. In the midst of the Tucson shootings, many elected officials both Republicans and Democrats called for a cooling-off of emotionally charged language that divides.

Obviously Brian Follett of Life Always and Peter Costanza of Lamar Advertising were NOT LISTENING to those calls!

On Wednesday, February 23rd the pro-life advertising group known as Life Always unveiled an offensive billboard in lower Manhattan which reads “THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE FOR AN AFRICAN AMERICAN IS IN THE WOMB.” The billboard's message-- meant to coincide with Black History Month--  appears above a photo of a young Black girl. It has been described by some as “misguided” and by others “highly offensive" in its attempt to target and misrepresent abortion in the black community. The point is clear—the sign which divides needs to come down TODAY!

As one Planned Parenthood representative stated the billboard is "an offensive and condescending effort to stigmatize and shame African-American women."

SIGN THIS PETITION TO TELL LIFE ALWAYS AND PETER COSTANZA OF LAMAR ADVERTISING YOU WANT THIS BILLBOARD REMOVED NOW!!!

Why People Are Signing

Recent Signatures