The year was 1982. To remind you of that time, here is a list of several global and national events that were happening, to jog your memory:

• Falklands War
• Tylenol Poisonings
• Introduction of the Compact Disc
• The Opening of Epcot Center
• Michael Jackson’s Thriller Album Release
• El Chichón Volcano Eruption
• Time Magazine Named “The Computer” as Person of the Year

And in that year, in the deep south, in predominantly rural communities in Warren County, NC the birthplace of the environmental justice movement in the United States emerged. The US Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as the “means the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health and the environment so that people:

• are fully protected from disproportionate and adverse human health and environmental effects (including risks) and hazards, including those related to climate change, the cumulative impacts of environmental and other burdens, and the legacy of racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and
• have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and engage in cultural and subsistence practices.”

In 1982, Warren County had an estimated population of approximately 16,000 residents. It was predominantly rural with around 64% of its population identifying as African American or Black. Two towns are at the center of this story: Warrenton, the county seat where the courthouse and county jail are located and Afton, the community earmarked for disposal of a toxic waste. Several weeks ago, I had the honor of visiting Warren County and made stops and landmarks such as the Coley Springs Baptist Church, the County seat of Warrenton, and the historic marker designating the birthplace of environmental justice. The stories shared that day highlighted the parallels between environmental justice struggles in Warren County and similar injustices faced by communities across the country, including in Pennsylvania.

Preserving the past:

For over 150 years, plots of land across Warren have been in family ownership, tied to a working landscape, and churches such as the Coley Springs Baptist Church, are not only places of worship but gathering spaces for social and environmental justice discussions.

These close-knit communities in Warren County share a historical legacy, residents coming together to protect their lands from environmental degradation because so much was at stake since small, family-run farms were the primary driver of the local economy. Traditional crops such as tobacco, soybeans, corn, and wheat were grown and sold. That was the primary source of income. And any pollution could significantly impact their future.

Livelihood threatened:

The story is intricate. Anger sparked activism, and frustration bred optimism. Toxic liquid containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) had been illegally dumped along North Carolina roads. The State took responsibility, removed the contaminated soil, and prosecuted the truck drivers involved. However, disposing of the toxic waste posed a challenge, as PCBs are carcinogenic. The State purchased land in the rural community of Afton, planning to establish a landfill for the PCB-laden soil.

The community learned of the plans and mobilized. They organized, protested, and created a movement. In began with a nonviolent, sit-in protest following the march from Coley Springs Baptist Chrich to the proposed landfill site. Over six weeks, hundreds of demonstrators were arrested while attempting to block trucks delivering contaminated soil. Supported by civil rights organizations nationwide, more than 500 individuals were arrested, marking one of the first major environmental protests with mass civil disobedience in U.S. history. The Warren County jail also became a focal point, symbolizing the community’s unified resistance to environmental and racial injustice. Today, the County is considering how to repurpose the jail while preserving its historical significance.

Our tour was provided by the Reverend William Kearney (you’ll see E. Kearney Road when you visit the site) who today leads the Environmental Action Team at the Warren County African American History Collective. His friend and colleague, Wayne Moseley, (one of the first protesters to get arrested in Afton in 1982) also joined us to share this story. For over forty years, environmental justice initiatives in Warren County have continued; unfortunately, the work is never complete. And we see those efforts in thousands of other communities across the Unites States that also continue to face pollution, contamination and/or a toxic legacy that impacts our health and environment and that of the next generation.

Sustaining the future:

The work unfortunately never ends, but there is resilience. We witness it when elders engage and educate youth, when residents advocate for policy change, and when investment and funding are fully secured for the communities that have been disproportionately impacted. We recognize that injustices still exist today, but one must remind our elected leaders that Pennsylvania’s Constitution

Article 1 Section 27 provides two rights to a clean environment for Pennsylvania’s citizens. One is a right to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the natural scenic historic and aesthetic values of the environment. That must never be forgotten, nor taken for granted.

To learn more about (and financially support!) the environmental justice work in Warren County, NC visit the Warren County Environmental Action Team website at Environmental Action Team – WCAAHC. And to learn more about the environmental justice movement in Afton, view this documentary: