Rachel Carson

Born in 1907 in Springdale, PA, Rachel Carson grew up in the hills overlooking the Allegheny River, where she fell in love with nature after exploring the landscapes and wildlife on walks with her mother. And it was also there that she fell in love with writing, winning several awards in her youth. She would tell people her dream was to become a writer.

While her family was not well off, her mother insisted that Rachel attend college. Rachel entered intending to study English but changed her major to biology. After graduating, she earned a master's degree in zoology and then began a doctorate. But because of the Great Depression and with her father's passing in 1935, Rachel dropped out, taking a job with the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries to help support her family.

In addition to working in this job, Rachel began writing articles about environmental issues for publications. Those articles evolved into books. And in these works, which were beloved by many, she helped people better understand nature while courageously challenging practices that hurt people and the environment. These challenges had policy implications, leading to a national ban on DDT and other pesticides.

—

Sources: John Jungck, and Rodger Bybee. "Rachel Carson Human Ecologist." The American Biology Teacher, vol. 46, no. 6, 1984, pp. 302–303. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4447854.. / Lear, Linda J. "Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring.'" Environmental History Review, vol. 17, no. 2, 1993, pp. 23–48. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3984849. / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Carson / National Digital Library of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service / Wikimedia Commons / https://www.rachelcarson.org/Bio.aspx