Highlights Archives
Senator Gaylord Nelson: 1916-2005
Wisconsin native and environmental champion Gaylord Nelson, shown here at a Green Packers game in 1962 with Robert Kennedy, died Sunday, July 3, at 89. He played major roles in creating Earth Day, establishing the Environmental Protection Agency, expanding Wisconsin state parks, and raising the nation's awareness of environmental issues.
Born in Clear Lake, Polk County, Nelson served in the state Senate from 1948 to 1958, became governor in 1958 and was re-elected two years later. As governor in the early 1960s, he established a national reputation as a leader in environmental protection with his advocacy of Wisconsin's pioneering Outdoor Recreation Act. This act, passed in 1961, pledged $50 million over the next decade toward environmental planning, land acquisition and easements along state highways to protect scenic vistas.
 Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962, Nelson proposed a constitutional amendment stating that "Every person has the inalienable right to a decent environment." Borrowing a tactic of anti-Vietnam war protests — the teach-in — Nelson suggested a full day of teaching and learning about the environment in a 1969 speech in Seattle. Nelson believed that if people knew more about the environment, they would take better care of it and demand better protection. His efforts led to the first Earth Day celebration on April 22, 1970.
In response to Nelson's efforts, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to repair existing environmental damage and to establish policies to keep the environment safe and clean. They also passed the Water Quality Improvement Act and the Air Quality Control Act to make clean water and air universally available. Nelson reflected on the impact of these efforts in this 1980 memoir.
Many of Nelson's most important writings are available on the Modern Environmental Movement page at Turning Points in Wisconsin History. You can also view personal and public photographs of him at Wisconsin Historical Images.
:: Posted July 5, 2005
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