SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — The collection of well-known names researched for a book by presidential historian Douglas Brinkley is remarkable due to their diverse backgrounds as well as what they have in common.
Brinkley’s book Silent Spring Revolution chronicles the work of a host of historical figures who played a part in conservation efforts.
Photo: Douglas Brinkley Webpage
Dr. Mark Madison, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Historian at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown. He says Brinkley will talk about his research into the rise of environmental activism during a period called “The Long Sixties” from 1960 to 1973.
Dr. Madison says during that time, DDT and widely accepted practices had almost wiped out some species of animals and set waterways on fire.
He says the effects of pollution were attention-grabbing:
The pollution hit close to home:
Dr. Madison says the Endangered Species act was passed almost unanimously in congress, and President Nixon signed a lot of environmental protection acts into law.
Brinkley did part of his research on the campus of the NCTC in Shepherdstown, which houses a number of Rachel Carson artifacts.
Douglas Brinkley’s presentation is set for Thursday, November 30th at 7:30 p.m. on the campus of the NCTC in Shepherdstown.
The event is free and open to the public.
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From NCTC Press Release: “In Silent Spring Revolution, Douglas Brinkley pays tribute to those who combated the mauling of the natural world: Rachel Carson (marine biologist and author), David Brower (director of the Sierra Club), Barry Commoner (environmental justice advocate), Coretta Scott King (antinuclear activist), Stewart Udall (Secretary of the Interior), William O. Douglas (Supreme Court justice), Cesar Chavez (labor organizer), and other crusaders are profiled with verve and insight.”
