1999 Earth Day Information Center

April 22, 1999 marks the 29th anniversary of the first Earth Day. Originally called the "First Environmental Teach-in," Earth Day was modeled after the anti-Vietnam War teach-ins of the late 1960s. An estimated 20 million Americans participated in environmental rallies, demonstrations and other activities on that first Earth Day. Former Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI) was the chief organizer of the event. In addition, Nelson recruited Denis Hayes, at the time a recent graduate of Stanford University, to assist in organizing the nationwide Earth Day activities. Recalled Nelson in an October 1990 speech: "...[T]he idea for Earth Day occurred to me in late July 1969, while on a conservation speaking tour out West. At the time there was a great deal of turmoil on the college campuses over the Vietnam War. Protests, called anti-war teach-ins, were being widely held on campuses across the nation. I read an article on the teach-ins, and it suddenly occurred to me, why not have a nationwide teach-in on the environment? That was the origin of Earth Day."

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