Celebrating Notable Conservationists and Environmentalists during Black
History Month
During the month of February, we celebrate Black History Month. As such, here is a celebration
of a few black pioneers in environmentalism and conservation.
George Washington Carver
George
Washington Carver was a notable leader in agricultural innovation, focusing primarily on peanut farming in the southern U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He spent the majority of his life educating southern farmers and helping them improve their agricultural practices. After years of only alternating between growing tobacco and cotton in the same soil, Dr. Carver suggested systematic crop rotation. Crop rotation is a common agricultural practice that promotes nitrogen restoration in soils for improved crop yields and can potentially disrupt the life cycles of common crop pests. He established an industrial research lab in Alabama focused on new agricultural developments and practices for new crop plants. From this research, he published the work “How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption.”
Following a boll weevil (a type of beetle) pest crisis, his extensive research on peanuts helped southern farmers prevent the agricultural sector and the economy from crashing. Boll weevil infestation caused mass destruction for cotton farmers, who then turned to peanuts as a different cash crop, as suggested by Dr. Carver. George Washington Carver was a pioneer for modern agricultural practices and a well-known advocate for modern environmentalism, believing that we must push for education, conservation, and protection of the earth and its natural life.
MaVynee Betsch
Abraham Lincoln Lewis was Florida’s first black millionaire and founder of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company. This company purchased more than 200 acres of beachfront property just north of Jacksonville between 1935 and 1940. From this, “American Beach” became a destination hub for black vacationers amidst Jim Crow segregation laws, claiming to be a place for “recreation and relaxation without humiliation.” After destruction from Hurricane Dora and the passing of the Civil Rights Act, which popularized other newly desegregated beaches, American Beach lost much of its business. Marvyne Elisabeth Betsch, Abraham Lincoln Lewis’ great-granddaughter, was determined to keep his legacy alive and preserved. She became classically trained in the art of opera singing at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Following her education, she embarked on a tour throughout Europe to display her vocal talents. She returned to Jacksonville in the 1960s, where she grew fond of the area’s natural beauty, especially the birds and insects.
She decided to retire from her musical career and donated a substantial amount of her money to support international environmental causes. After her international contributions, she focused her efforts closer to home, giving historical tours of American Beach and planting trees in the town. She ended up selling her home to raise more money for environmental charities, often spending time in friends’ homes, in trailers, and even sleeping on American Beach itself. She changed her birth name, Marvyne, to MaVynee, adding an extra “e” in honor of the environment and dropping the “r” during the Reagan administration’s environmentally damaging policies. To this day, she is remembered as an advocate for environmentalism and celebrating the
earth’s natural beauty through recreation and tourism.
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a marine biologist, policy writer and expert, and conservation strategist. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University in environmental science and public policy, followed by her PhD from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in marine biology. She is credited with the co-founding of the non-profit Urban Ocean Lab, which serves as a think tank for ocean-climate policy in coastal cities. Their mission is to create rigorous, creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy for coastal cities. Her
contributions to this lab stem from her research on urban ocean conservation, sustainable fishing, ocean zoning, climate change, and social justice. She has worked on numerous conservation projects, most of which focus on climate-related issues in oceans and coastal cities. She co-authored the Blue New Deal, which was originally proposed by Senator Elizabeth Warren during her presidential campaign. This plan is devoted to restoring our oceans and the life within them by creating sustainable fishing, ocean farming, and
energy use practices. She founded the Blue Halo Initiative, leading the Caribbean’s first successful island-wide ocean zoning event. She serves on the board of directors for GreenWave, on the advisory board for Environmental V oter Project, and on the steering committee for Ocean Justice Forum, all of which are focused on conservation efforts of our oceans.
You can read more about other notable black conservationists and environmentalists at
https://www.sfenvironment.org/blog/celebrating-black-environmentalists-during-black-history-m
onth-0#wright. Commitment to Education, Conservation, and the Environment Lehigh Valley Zoo’s conservation education department is committed to providing our
community with opportunities to learn about wildlife and help develop positive attitudes and curiosity about nature and conservation. Additionally, LV Zoo is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which is a non-profit organization dedicated to conservation, education, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. By visiting the Lehigh Valley Zoo, you are supporting conservation funding efforts and helping care for the earth and its inhabitants, much like our spotlighted individuals above.
Written by Lauren Hinks
Conservation Education Intern
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA
