You’re right if you’re thinking the environmental issue is one that has been led and championed predominately by White people. But there is a growing movement of people of color who have joined the movement with a lens to the disproportionate impact of environmental decisions on communities of color.
The environmental justice movement—championed primarily by people of color – was born of a statistical fact: Those who live, work, and play in America’s most polluted environments are commonly people of color and those living in poverty. Because of environmental justice advocates, we now know this as environmental racism, and it’s precisely what communities of color have been battling for decades.
What is environmental justice?
Environmental justice essentially means that everyone—regardless of race, color, national origin, or income—has the right to the same environmental protections and benefits, as well as meaningful involvement in the policies that shape their communities.
But rarely has this been the reality for people of color and those with low incomes. That’s because virtually all environmental injustice is shaped by the same patterns of racism and inequality that have existed in the United States since its founding.
For example, to this day, majority-White and wealthy communities are where investments into infrastructure are more likely to be made, where environmental laws are more likely to be properly enforced, and where polluters are more likely to be held accountable or kept away entirely.
By comparison, the most marginalized communities are routinely treated as the areas where highways can be built, waste can be stored, industrial warehouses and facilities can be concentrated, and where natural resources can be readily exploited or destroyed.
Warren County Protests: The Spark
The modern environmental justice movement was catalyzed by protests in Warren County, N.C., a predominantly Black rural area in North Carolina. The state chose this community as the site for a hazardous PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) landfill. Residents, civil rights activists, and environmentalists organized massive demonstrations, even though the protests didn’t stop the landfill. It was the first time civil rights and environmental activism joined forces on a national scale.
Dr. Robert Bullard, The Father of Environmental Justice
Sociologist Dr. Robert Bullard, often called the “father of environmental justice,” conducted pivotal research in the 1980s showing that hazardous waste sites and polluting industries were overwhelmingly placed in Black and poor neighborhoods. His 1990 book, “Dumping in Dixie,” gave the movement both academic and national credibility.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 12898, directing federal agencies to identify and address environmental justice issues affecting minority and low-income populations. This legitimized the movement at the national policy level.
Since then,countless grassroots movements have kept environmental justice at the forefront, led largely by those most affected.
What Can You Do About Environment Racism
Here are five powerful actions Black individuals and communities can take to confront and combat environmental racism:
Get Educated and Spread Awareness
Learn how environmental racism impacts Black communities — like higher rates of pollution, toxic waste sites, and poor water quality — and share that knowledge in your circles, churches, schools, and social media.
Organize & Advocate Locally
Join or support local environmental justice groups, neighborhood associations, or advocacy coalitions pushing for clean air, water, and safer communities. Your voice matters at city council meetings, public hearings, and planning boards.
Vote & Hold Leaders Accountable
Elect and pressure officials who prioritize environmental justice. Demand policies that protect vulnerable communities from harmful development and pollution.
Support Black-Led Environmental Movements
Uplift and partner with Black environmentalists, scientists, and organizations already leading the fight — like WE ACT for Environmental Justice or the Black Environmental Collective.
Push for Equity in Green Solutions
Advocate for clean energy jobs, tree planting, public transit, and sustainable housing projects that benefit — not displace — Black communities, ensuring we’re not left behind in the green transition.
Take Personal Responsibility for Improving the Environment in Your Community
Here are just a few things you can easily do personally: Help clean up dumped trash, responsibly dispose of your own trash, plant a tree to improve the tree canopy in your neighborhood, reduce your use of single-use plastics, cut idling time at drive-in windows, consider going inside or pass when the lines are long and backed up.
Major Source: National Resources Defense Council