American Historical Review > AHR History Lab > History in Focus > All History in Focus Episodes > S1 E15 A Sacred Calling

S1 E15 A Sacred Calling

For nearly half a century, Curtis Boyd and Glenna Halvorson-Boyd have devoted their lives to providing safe and affirming abortion care. Curtis, a former Baptist minister, began providing abortions in Texas before the procedure was legal in the state. After Roe v. Wade, with the help of an interfaith network of clergy, Curtis opened up a clinic in Dallas. In the 1970s, Glenna came to work there as well, and the two eventually fell in love. Their partnership and shared commitment to abortion care has enabled them to withstand the increasing violence of the anti-abortion movement and to continue providing abortions to this day.

This episode was produced by the podcast Sexing History. It is the inaugural entry in AHR’s new podcast collaboration initiative.

Transcript

  1. A Sacred Calling (transcript)

In this Episode

  • Gillian Frank (Host and Co-Creator of Sexing History; Visiting Affiliate Fellow at the Center for Culture, Society, and Religion at Princeton University)
  • Lauren Gutterman (Host and Co-Creator of Sexing History; Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin)
  • Curtis Boyd (Physician and Abortion Provider)
  • Glenna Halvorson-Boyd (Abortion Counselor and Reproductive Rights Activist) 
  • Daniel Story (Host and Producer, Digital Scholarship Librarian at UC Santa Cruz)

Links

Music

  • “It is Something (To Have Wept),” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: El Perro Del Mar, 2009.
  • Cold Case, “Darkened Treeline,” Blue Dot Sessions.
  • Wandering Valley Boys, “T For Texas,” 31st Annual Old Fiddlers Convention, 1967.
  • “Hymn #127: Can I See Another's Woe?” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: Jess Huetteman.
  • The Freedom Singers, “Woke Up This Morning,” The Evening Concerts At Newport, Vol. 1. 1964. 
  • Jimmy Lewis, “The Girls From Texas,” 1968.
  • “Hymn #184: Be Ye Lamps Unto Yourselves,” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: Starr King Unitarian Universalist Church.
  • “There's a Wideness in God’s Mercy (Wellesley),” The Presbyterian Hymnbook (1955). Performed by: Andrew Remillard.
  • Don Varner, “Down in Texas,” South Camp, 1967.
  • The Association, “Along Comes Mary,” 1966.
  • The New Haven Women’s Liberation Rock Band, “Abortion Song,” Mountain Moving Day, 1972.
  • Leslie Gore, “You Don’t Own Me,” 1968.
  • Richard B. Ferrier, “The Ballad of Henry Wade,” 1972.
  • “Hymn #166: Years Are Coming,” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: First Unitarian Church of Baltimore.
  • The New Haven Women's Liberation Rock Band, “Sister Witch,” Mountain Moving Day, 1972.
  • “Hymn #131: Love Will Guide Us,” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: First Unitarian Universalist Church of Springfield. 
  • Glass Obelisk, “Low Call,” Blue Dot Sessions.
  • Glass Obelisk, “Apollo Diedre,” Blue Dot Sessions.
  • Trailhead, “Access Road 214,” Blue Dot Sessions.
  • “Hymn #95: There is More Love Somewhere,” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: Jess Huetteman. 
  • “Hymn #188: Come, Come Whoever You Are,” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: Jess Huetteman. 
  • “Hymn #298: Wake Now My Senses,” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: Starr King Unitarian Universalist Church.
  • Texana, “Onside,” Blue Dot Sessions.
  • “Hymn #1: May Nothing Evil Cross This Door,” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: Karen Mooney.
  • “Hymn #1020: Woyaya,” Singing the Living Tradition Hymnal. Performed by: Silver Springs Unitarian Universalist Church.
  • “Bellwhether” by Blue Dot Sessions
  • “Steely” by Blue Dot Sessions

Archival

Oral Histories

  • Gillian Frank, Oral History of Curtis Boyd, June 23, 2016.
  • Gillian Frank and Lauren Gutterman, Oral History of Curtis Boyd, February 7 and 22, 2022.
  • Gillian Frank and Lauren Gutterman, Oral History of Glenna Halvorson-Boyd, February 7 and 22, 2022.
  • Gillian Frank, Oral History of Curtis Boyd and Glenna Halvorson-Boyd, September 1, 2022.
  • Elise Randall, Oral History of Alicia Jarry. February 28, 2021. Austin Women Activists Oral History Project Records. The Briscoe Center for American History, UT Austin.

Further Reading

Production

  • Created and Hosted by: Gillian Frank and Lauren Gutterman
  • Senior Producer: Saniya Lee Ghanoui
  • Producer and Story Editor: Rebecca Davis
  • Assistant Producer: Mallory Szymanski