I photographed Marjory Stoneman Douglas on assignment for National Geographic back in 1990. I didn’t know much about her before that day, but it didn’t take long to see what a force she was – and would continue to be -- until her death in 1998 at the age of 108. She was many things during her lifetime: a young journalist at The Miami Herald; the author of a handful of books; an early suffragette and feminist; a fiery political and civil rights activist; and, finally, a fierce advocate for the restoration of South Florida's fragile wetlands – her beloved Everglades. Her 1947 book, “The Everglades: River of Grass,” became a best seller, and, according to her New York Times obituary, “changed forever the way Americans look at wetlands.” (It is still in print.) In a now-famous quote, she once said: “Be a nuisance where it counts. Do your part to inform and stimulate the public to join your action. Be depressed, discouraged, and disappointed at failure and the disheartening effects of ignorance, greed, corruption and bad politics—but never give up.” Words to live by. And words that should – if they have not already -- inspire the students at Stoneman Douglas. They are certainly following in her footsteps and living her legacy. Were she here today, she would be locking arms with these students and loudly decrying the purchase of assault weapons by civilians, made possible by the morally corrupt politicians bought by the NRA. In an interview with NPR in 1981, in which she was talking about her own crusade to save the wetlands, she said, “I'll tell you the whole thing is an enormous battle between man's intelligence and his stupidity. And I'm not at all sure that stupidity isn't going to win out in the long run.” #marjorystonemandouglas #stonemandouglas #neveragain #marchforourlives #everglades #evergladesnationalpark #riverofgrass
