New York Times headlines: “2 Suits Contest Bans on Abortion” from Dec. 14, 1971, and “High Court Rules Abortions Legal the First 3 Months” and “State Bans Ruled Out Until Last 10 Weeks” from Jan. 23, 1973; photos of U.S. Supreme Court Building and Justice Harry Blackmun, author of the Court’s opinion in Roe v. Wade.

New York Times headlines: “2 Suits Contest Bans on Abortion” from Dec. 14, 1971, and “High Court Rules Abortions Legal the First 3 Months” and “State Bans Ruled Out Until Last 10 Weeks” from Jan. 23, 1973; photos of U.S. Supreme Court Building and Justice Harry Blackmun, author of the Court’s opinion in Roe v. Wade.

Consequential as it was, Roe got scant press attention when it first came before the Supreme Court in December 1971