The Ecology Center: 50 Years of Education and Activism for Environmental Health and Justice

In 2020, the Ecology Center celebrated fifty years of environmental action. Established in the wake of the first Earth Day, the Ann Arbor-based organization has grown into a regional leader, promoting a mission of “healthy people, healthy planet.”

This website, created by the Environmental Justice Lab, is part of a collaboration with the Ecology Center. By excavating stories of environmental activism, justice, and sustainability, the project demonstrates how student research and writing can inform and empower advocacy. As a digital resource, these pages also allow visitors to access some of the letters, photographs, and posters used during the research process.

Beginning in 2019, teams of University of Michigan undergraduates dove into archival materials, conducted interviews with Ecology Center affiliates, and developed this website documenting many of the Ecology Center’s main campaigns. Their findings are organized into five themes that showcase the Ecology Center’s diverse activities. Rather than an official and comprehensive history of the Ecology Center, the website highlights the perspectives and interests of student researchers.