Beverly Wright

Environmental justice for all: community perspectives on health and research needs.

Some individuals, groups, and communities are at special risk from environmental threats. This is especially the case for low income persons, the working class, and people of color whose health may be imperiled by lead in their houses, pollution in their neighborhoods, and hazards in their workplace. Moreover, many of their children face potential health threats in the parks where they play. The environmental justice perspective unmasks the ethical and political questions of “who gets what, why, and in what amounts.” An environmental and public health strategy is needed to ensure that all Americans are protected.

The quest for environmental equity: Mobilizing the African‐American community for social change

Abstract There is considerable evidence that pollution and other forms of environmental degradation take a heavy toll on African‐American communities. African Americans, however, have not been attracted to mainstream environmental groups. Grassroots environmental groups—with their emphasis on environmental justice—have attracted a larger following within African‐American communities. The 1980s have seen the struggle for environmental equity take on a civil rights meaning. Using preexisting social justice and grassroots organizations for leadership, black community residents have begun to challenge government and private industries that would turn their areas into the nations dumping grounds for all types of health‐threatening toxins.