Project Survival
Encyclopedia
Project Survival, an early environmentalism-awareness education event, was held at Northwestern University
on January 23, 1970. The event was the first of several held at campuses across the United States in the lead-up to the first Earth Day
.
Project Survival was not an Earth Day event itself, but rather the first of several preparatory events in the months leading up to Earth Day, April 22, that sought to introduce the environmentalist movement's ideas into the public discourse. Organized by Northwestern Students for a Better Environment, it was referred to as a "teach-out," emphasizing the desire to pass a message along to the community outside the school.
More than 4,000 attendees listened to speakers including Illinois State Treasurer Adlai Stevenson III
, Illinois Lt. Gov. Paul Simon
, and a number of scientists, including Dr. Lawrence B. Slobodkin
, director of the Evolution and Ecology program at Stony Brook University, and Dr. Barry Commoner
, director of Washington University's Center for the Biology of Natural Systems. Folk singer Tom Paxton
led a midnight "sing-in" where he introduced the song "Whose Garden Was This?," three months before it would become an anthem for the first Earth Day.
During the lecture segment of the program, a group of thirty American Indians took the stage, interrupting Dr. Slobodkin, to present a list of demands:
Discussion groups met from one to 6 a.m. to address various topics including over-population, depletion of natural resources, overcrowding, pollution, and nuclear power. Panel titles included: "Surplus People and Instant War," "Life or Death for the Oceans," and "Radioactivity & Prenatal Fatalities."
A film of the event was produced to help other schools prepare for Earth Day and the text of the event's speeches was published in a limited printing by Northwestern.
Following the event, Project Survival became an organization at the University, with a mission to initiate, sponsor, and encourage the study of environmental problems, and to bring information on the topic to the school at large.
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
on January 23, 1970. The event was the first of several held at campuses across the United States in the lead-up to the first Earth Day
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
.
Project Survival was not an Earth Day event itself, but rather the first of several preparatory events in the months leading up to Earth Day, April 22, that sought to introduce the environmentalist movement's ideas into the public discourse. Organized by Northwestern Students for a Better Environment, it was referred to as a "teach-out," emphasizing the desire to pass a message along to the community outside the school.
More than 4,000 attendees listened to speakers including Illinois State Treasurer Adlai Stevenson III
Adlai Stevenson III
Adlai Ewing Stevenson III is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented the state of Illinois in the United States Senate from 1970 until 1981.-Education, military service, and early career:...
, Illinois Lt. Gov. Paul Simon
Paul Simon (politician)
Paul Martin Simon was an American politician from Illinois. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985 and United States Senate from 1985 to 1997. He was a member of the Democratic Party...
, and a number of scientists, including Dr. Lawrence B. Slobodkin
Lawrence B. Slobodkin
Lawrence B. Slobodkin was an American ecologist and Professor Emeritus at the Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, State University of New York. He was one of the leading pioneers of modern ecology...
, director of the Evolution and Ecology program at Stony Brook University, and Dr. Barry Commoner
Barry Commoner
Barry Commoner is an American biologist, college professor, and eco-socialist. He ran for president of the United States in the 1980 US presidential election on the Citizens Party ticket. He was also editor of Science Illustrated magazine.-Biography:Commoner was born in Brooklyn...
, director of Washington University's Center for the Biology of Natural Systems. Folk singer Tom Paxton
Tom Paxton
Thomas Richard Paxton is an American folk singer and singer-songwriter who has been writing, performing and recording music for over forty years...
led a midnight "sing-in" where he introduced the song "Whose Garden Was This?," three months before it would become an anthem for the first Earth Day.
During the lecture segment of the program, a group of thirty American Indians took the stage, interrupting Dr. Slobodkin, to present a list of demands:
The group, from the Native American Committee of Chicago, protested "pollution of Indian lands, religions and minds." They demanded that NU confront Federal agencies that have "polluted" Indians, provide 15 jobs for Indians, offer 15 scholarships and hire speakers " to teach you the truth about the American Indian."
Discussion groups met from one to 6 a.m. to address various topics including over-population, depletion of natural resources, overcrowding, pollution, and nuclear power. Panel titles included: "Surplus People and Instant War," "Life or Death for the Oceans," and "Radioactivity & Prenatal Fatalities."
A film of the event was produced to help other schools prepare for Earth Day and the text of the event's speeches was published in a limited printing by Northwestern.
Following the event, Project Survival became an organization at the University, with a mission to initiate, sponsor, and encourage the study of environmental problems, and to bring information on the topic to the school at large.