David Brower
A fierce and uncompromising advocate who transformed the Sierra Club into a political force and founded a web of influential environmental organizations.
1912–2000 (age 88)·American environmentalist·Birthday: July 1·The Greatest Generation
Biography
David Brower's environmentalism was forged in the granite of the Sierra Nevada, where he was once a preeminent mountaineer with dozens of first ascents. That intimate connection to wild places fueled a lifetime of relentless activism. As the first executive director of the Sierra Club, he revolutionized conservation by marrying outings with lobbying, using lavish photo books to rally public sentiment, and fighting pitched battles against dams in the Grand Canyon and Dinosaur National Monument. His combative style eventually led to a break, but Brower simply channeled his energy into creating new vehicles for change, including Friends of the Earth and the Earth Island Institute. He was a master of narrative, framing environmental loss as a moral catastrophe, and he trained a generation of activists. Brower lived as if the Earth's fate depended on his stubbornness, and in many crucial fights, it did.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
David was born in 1912, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1912
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1912Born
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1917Started school
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Became a teenager
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Could drive
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1930Could vote
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Turned 21
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1942Turned 30
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 40
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 50
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 60
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 70
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 80
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Died at 88
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
Key Achievements
- As the Sierra Club's first Executive Director (1952-1969), he built it into a national political and conservation powerhouse.
- Led successful campaigns to prevent dams in the Grand Canyon and Dinosaur National Monument, preserving these landscapes.
- Founded major international environmental organizations Friends of the Earth (1969) and the Earth Island Institute (1982).
- Pioneered the use of full-page newspaper ads and high-quality photography books as tools for environmental advocacy.
Did You Know?
He was a highly accomplished mountaineer, with over 70 first ascents in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains.
Brower served in the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division during World War II, training troops in mountaineering.
He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times for his environmental work.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”
