Home Page and Introduction

Barry Commoner's Personal Life

Contribution to the Environmental Movement

Report Conclusion

Bibliography of Sources

Barry Commoner's Personal Life Barry Commoner was born in Brooklynn, New York on May 28, 1917 to Russian immigrants. He attended James Madison High School, where he fed his interest in biology. In 1937 he graduated from Columbia University with a bachelors degree and honors. In 1938 he attained his masters, and in 1941 he graduated with a doctoral degree; both of these were attained at Harvard University. Soon he was drafted into WWII and was promoted to Lieutenant by the time the war was over. Soon afterward he moved to St. Louis and became a professor of plant physiology at Washington University, where he taught for thirty-four years. During the late 1950's Commoner became an active and well known protester against nuclear testing. He then went on to write several books about the negative effects to the environment of above-ground nuclear testing. In 1970 he received the International Humanist Award from the International Humanist and Ethical Union. In 1980, he founded the Citizens Party to serve as a vehicle for his ecological message, and his run for President on the Citizens Party ticket. The ticket won 233,052 votes. His official Vice Presidential running mate was La Donna Harris, although she was replaced on the Ohio ballot by Wretha Hanson. On May 16th of 1993, Barry Commoner was awarded a "star" on the St. Louis Walk of Fame for science and education. The star is located on 6342 Delmar.