Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Marjory Stoneman Douglas (http://www.pineapplepress.com/marjorystonemandougl ())

Marjory Stoneman Douglas was an American writer and journalist. She was also a well known environmentalist and feminist. She has written many books, most are about the environment. She has won many awards for her writing and for her struggle and fight for the Everglades and freedom.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas (http://www6.miami.edu/english/msdouglas/msdimages. ())

Douglas was born April 7, 1890 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1908 she went to Wellesely College and graduated with a Bachelors in English in 1912. She moved to Miami, Florida, which, according to Douglas, was "no more than a glorified railroad terminal". Her father was the first publisher of the newspaper that eventually became the Miami Herald. She joined the newspaper in 1915 when she was about 25 years old. Later on in life she became blind and her hearing diminished.

Her book, The Everglades: River of Grass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Everglades_River ())

She became a professional writer. Throughout the rest of her life she continued being an activist and writer. She wrote many books such as The Everglades, Alligator Crossing, The Wide Brim, Nine Florida Stories, Freedom River, A River in Flood and Other Florida Stories, and finally her autobiography, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. One main focus of hers was in protecting and restoring The Everglades. This was a center point of her writing and activism. One of her books, The Everglades: River of Grass had a great impact on people's view of the Everglades.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas and President Clinton (http://www6.miami.edu/english/msdouglas/msdimages. ())

Douglas received many awards for her writings while she was an author of The Miami Herald. In 1986 the National Parks Conservation Association named an award after her which "honor(s) individuals who often must go to great lengths to advocate and fight for the protection of the National Park System". In 1993 Bill Clinton presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1999 she was inducted into the National Wildlife Federation Hall of Fame. In 2000 she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas (http://www6.miami.edu/english/msdouglas/msdimages. ())

She died at the age of 108 in Coconut Grove, Florida, on May 14, 1998.