Photo: Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 1985. (photo: creative commons license, State Library and Archives of Florida.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas was not just a woman who fought for Nature but also was involved in civil rights, a journalist and an author who lived an incredible and long life of activism on behalf of the natural world and her fellow human beings.
Margory was born in 1890 and lived for 108 years. She was involved in the women's sufferage and civil rights movements, serving as a charter member of the first Civil Liberties Union organized in the South in the 1950's. She was also in the Red Cross in Europe during the dark days of WW1.
However she is probably best remembered as being instrumental in saving much of the Florida Everglades.
Margory became involved in the Florida Everglades in the 1920's but by the 1960's they were becoming in danger of being lost to human development.
In 1947 she published a book titled The Everglades: River of Grass, which was a best seller with the first printing selling out in one month.
It raised public awareness of ecological issues and turned the Florida Everglades from being looked at and thought of as a useless swamp only fit for development into becoming a National Park.
She continued her work by founding the Friends of the Everglades (www.everglades.org/) which continues to advocate today.
There are many interesting facts and anecdotes in the links below. It is well worth the time to read more of this incredible women.
www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/marjory-stoneman-douglas/
www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marjory-stoneman-douglas
wilderness.net/learn-about-wilderness/marjory-stoneman-douglas.php
By Brendon Crook
Marjory Stoneman Douglas was not just a woman who fought for Nature but also was involved in civil rights, a journalist and an author who lived an incredible and long life of activism on behalf of the natural world and her fellow human beings.
Margory was born in 1890 and lived for 108 years. She was involved in the women's sufferage and civil rights movements, serving as a charter member of the first Civil Liberties Union organized in the South in the 1950's. She was also in the Red Cross in Europe during the dark days of WW1.
However she is probably best remembered as being instrumental in saving much of the Florida Everglades.
Margory became involved in the Florida Everglades in the 1920's but by the 1960's they were becoming in danger of being lost to human development.
In 1947 she published a book titled The Everglades: River of Grass, which was a best seller with the first printing selling out in one month.
It raised public awareness of ecological issues and turned the Florida Everglades from being looked at and thought of as a useless swamp only fit for development into becoming a National Park.
She continued her work by founding the Friends of the Everglades (www.everglades.org/) which continues to advocate today.
There are many interesting facts and anecdotes in the links below. It is well worth the time to read more of this incredible women.
www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/marjory-stoneman-douglas/
www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marjory-stoneman-douglas
wilderness.net/learn-about-wilderness/marjory-stoneman-douglas.php
By Brendon Crook
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