Now that it’s February, it’s officially Black History Month, and a key part of the celebrations is recognizing Black leaders for their accomplishments. One field where their contributions are often overlooked is within the environmental movement, as African-Americans have been historically excluded from the outdoors.
The first head of the US Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot, was active in the eugenics movement. Madison Grant, a famed conservationist who was instrumental in creating Denali, Olympic, Everglades, and Glacier national parks, claimed the Nordics were the superior race and saw parks as a way to help Nordic descendants thrive. According to KangJae “Jerry” Lee, an assistant professor at North Carolina State University, figures like these contributed to the exclusion of people of color from the outdoors.
There were also legislative barriers contributing to the exclusion of Black Americans from the environment. Jim Crow laws were in effect in the South when the National Park Service was founded, keeping Black Americans from accessing these spaces. Although the National Park Services officially desegregated in 1945, some local ordinances still blocked Black people from entering.
A combination of social and political factors often led Black people to be excluded from the outdoors; however, there have been – and continue to be – Black activists who are carving space for themselves in the outdoors and are working to create a more sustainable future. Here are some Black environmentalists doing trailblazing work that everyone should be aware of:
Carolyn Finney: Cultural Geographer
Dr. Carolyn Finney is a storyteller, cultural geographer, and author of Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors, a book that discusses the underrepresentation of Black people in nature, outdoor recreation, and environmentalism. Her goal is to increase awareness of how privilege shapes who gets to speak to environmental issues and determine policy and action.
Savonala “Savi” Horne: Environmental Justice Lawyer
Savi Horne is a lawyer who is the current Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers and the Land Loss Prevention Project. The Land Loss Prevention Project advocates for farmers with limited resources and promotes sustainable agriculture. Horne has been instrumental in crafting recommendations to the USDA on land equity and sustainability.
Beverly Wright: Environmental Justice Scholar
Dr. Beverly Wright is a environmental advocate, scholar, and the founder and Executive Director of Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. This organization has explored inequality in the
Lower Mississippi River Industrial Center, and Dr. Wright’s research has established a correlation between race and pollution. The organization also trains leaders along the Mississippi River in order to tackle these issues of pollution and create a higher standard of living for surrounding communities.
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Photo Source: Akil Mazumder from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-green-plant-1072824/
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