Previous research (Kammeyer et al.) has found that the availability of family planning services in U.S. counties is positively related to percent black in the population, but has not established the correct interpretation for this linkage. Two competing explanations of this relationship are developed and tested in the present study. A racism interpretation is found to best explain county provided family planning services, and little support is found for an altruistic interpretation. Services provided by Planned Parenthood and O.E.O. are due mainly to urbanism and are not consistent with either the racial or the altruistic interpretation.