Cass Canfield

Biographical Information
"Cass Canfield was chairperson of PPFA from 1959 to 1961 and then later of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. Along with his lifelong dedication to reproductive rights, the other great passion in his life was editing and publishing books.  He produced works by James Thurber, Thornton Wilder, John F. Kennedy, and Eleanor Roosevelt, eventually rising to the position of chairman of the board of Harper & Row (now known as HarperCollins).  He put his reputation for success in business at the service of reproductive rights, gaining respect for our cause from other leaders of communications corporations.  He believed in the importance of augmenting the volunteer strength of Planned Parenthood with a core of full-time professionals.  And he realized the necessity of expanding the reproductive rights movement to developing nations to foster economic and human development."

In 1966: "The wealthy editor and publisher Cass Canfield, then chairman of Planned Parenthood World Population, and Cordelia Scaife May, heiress to the Mellon fortune, took a special interest in the project and pressed the Planned Parenthood leadership to make the stamp a priority."


 * Winner of the 1975 PPFA Margaret Sanger Award
 * Former Advisory Board, American Movement for World Government

Related Sourcewatch

 * Hugh Moore Fund