Earth911 Celebrates Eco-Warriors For Black History Month

People To Celebrate

by Marisa McNatt

Devoting the month of February as a time to recognize African Americans’ contributions to society began with Carter G. Woodson in the early 1920s. After spending his childhood working on Kentucky coalmines and finishing high school at the age of 22, Woodson went on to earn his doctorate at Harvard University. Reading the history books, he was dismayed at the lack of attention paid to African American history.

So we thought we’d compile our own list of African Americans acting as stewards of the environment. Watch out for these eco-warriors because this won’t be the last time you hear about them. Featured are Dorceta Taylor, John Rosenthall, Norris McDonald and Samara Swanston.

Earth911 is an environmental services company that addresses product end-of-life solutions for businesses and consumers. It provides the platform and tools needed to support recycling and proper disposal for various products, giving the people who buy them a number of ways to participate in companies’ sustainability initiatives. Through its innovative Local Recycling and Proper Disposal Database, Earth911.com hosts information for hundreds of products in over 117,000 listings across the country.

Marisa McNatt, pictured above, is in the master's journalism program at the University of Colorado at Boulder and is earning a certificate in environmental policy and society.