In a devastating blow to women’s rights in the country that proclaims to be the freest in the world, the U.S. Supreme Court has officially overturned Roe v. Wade. The 1973 decision ruled the Constitution protected a woman’s right to choose an abortion. Nearly 50 years later, that ruling has been overturned, handing control to individual states to decide. Some have already enacted restrictive rules, nearly outright bans. It’s a crushing and significant decision that will likely have significant repercussions for years to come.

Its significance was clear by looking at newspaper front pages today. Not often does one topic get primary play in so many newspapers. Almost every paper I saw this morning had this as its main story. It affects everyone. Every woman. Every man. Every person.

A lot of the pages within the same newspaper chain had similar designs, so I have pulled out 10 that stood out, plus The New York Times front page from the original 1973 decision and today’s.

Chicago Sun Times, June 25, 2022
The Dallas Morning News, June 25, 2022
Tampa Bay Times, June 25, 2022
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 25, 2022
The Star Tribune (Minneapolis), June 25, 2022
The Des Moines Register, June 25, 2022
San Francisco Chronicle, June 25, 2022
Arizona Republic, June 25, 2022
The Jersey Journal, June 25, 2022
Knoxville News Sentinel, June 25, 2022

And here is The New York Times front page when the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, followed by today’s front page. On the printed page, a clear demonstration of moving backwards in American society.

The New York Times front page, Jan. 23, 1973
The New York Times, June 25, 2022.