Florida Women Who Have Made History: Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Perhaps the best known advocate of environmentalism in Florida, Marjory Stoneman Douglas was also a lifelong advocate for women’s rights. She contributed to the spread of environmentalism, as it became a part of mainstream culture, and became known as “the woman who saved the Everglades.”
Born in 1890, she moved to Florida during World War I. Settling into a career as a newspaper writer, she became a fierce advocate for urban planning and civil rights, among other issues. Later in life, her focus shifted almost exclusively to preserving the Everglades. In 1993, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a rare distinction.
Her Coconut Grove home has been featured as part of our annual “11 to save” list. Read more: