1. Estelle Naomi Trebert Griswold was a civil rights activist and feminist most commonly known as a defendant in what became the Supreme Court case Griswold v Connecticut, in which contraception for married couples was legalized in the state of Connecticut, setting the precedent of the right to privacy.
Estelle Griswold was raised in the Roman Catholic faith but was not devout later in life.
Estelle Griswold wanted to go to college and further her academic career, but her family could not afford the tuition.
Estelle Griswold worked in a bank in order to pay for the music school.
Estelle Griswold had a very impressive contralto singing voice, and traveled to both Paris and Nice for employment.
Estelle Griswold became engaged to an aspiring playwright, but the relationship ended prior to the marriage.
Estelle Griswold did not return to Paris after their deaths but stayed in Hartford.
Estelle Griswold took a job as a radio singer for such broadcasts as the NBC Red Network in 1929.
In 1935, Richard and Estelle Griswold moved from Connecticut to Washington DC where Estelle began taking classes at George Washington University.
At the beginning of World War II, Richard Estelle Griswold left his advertising business and joined the Office of Political Affairs in the State Department, during which time he was sent abroad to Europe to help with various crises.
In 1945, Estelle Griswold joined him in Europe, becoming involved with humanitarian efforts, including the aid of refugees, mainly from Eastern European countries.
Estelle Griswold ended her time with the Church World Service in 1951, feeling that the organization was not properly aiding refugees, instead being crass in their efforts.
Richard Estelle Griswold decided to continue working as an advertising executive and believed that moving to New Haven would be beneficial due to the appeal he could draw from the Yale community.
Richard and Estelle Griswold lived at 40 Trumbull Street, directly next to Planned Parenthood's New Haven offices at the time, where they became familiar with various people throughout the building.
Estelle Griswold was quickly considered for involvement, as many knew her from her work in the Human Relations Council and understood her political platforms.
The idea to involve Estelle Griswold came initially from a chance encounter with Jennie Heiser, assistant to the soon-to-be-retired Planned Parenthood Executive Director Nancy Williams, who half-jokingly offered her the upcoming position.
Estelle Griswold did not have a great deal of knowledge regarding birth control and did not know what a diaphragm was upon her first interview with PPLC President Molly Milmine, though diaphragms were the main source of birth control during the era.
On January 1,1954, Estelle Griswold began her work as executive director of the Planned Parenthood League of Connecticut.
Shortly after Estelle Griswold became executive director, she became involved in the movement to abolish the birth control laws within Connecticut.
Estelle Griswold located a small building in which to open the clinic near to the Planned Parenthood offices at 79 Trumbull Street.
Estelle Griswold allowed them to inspect and clearly informed them of the functions of the clinic.
Estelle Griswold was enthusiastic in her descriptions and provided specific and detailed information that she assumed would be used in the trial.
Estelle Griswold informed the detectives as they were leaving the clinic that she was fine with being arrested, but refused to be fingerprinted or photographed.
Estelle Griswold chose a 33-year-old Yale Divinity School Graduate and a graduate student in the Yale School of Public Health, who was an English citizen and married to a colleague of Fowler Harper.
However, because of the urgency of the forthcoming Supreme Court trial, as well as the general progress Estelle Griswold had made to advance Planned Parenthood since first taking the job, she was eventually persuaded to remain in her position.
Shortly after the Supreme Court decision was made, Estelle Griswold resigned as executive director of Planned Parenthood.
Estelle Griswold remained in New Haven, even after Richard Griswold died of emphysema on October 1,1966.
Estelle Griswold died in Fort Myers, Florida on August 13,1981, at the age of 81.
Estelle Griswold is buried in the cemetery of the Congregational Church in Wethersfield, Connecticut next to her husband.
Estelle Griswold was inducted in the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame in 1994.