By Stephanie Martin Taylor, Diocesan Canon for Communications

In 1969, my mother had just submitted her application to the English doctoral program at Texas Christian University when my father received an enticing offer from U.S. Senator Ralph Yarborough (D-TX). As Chairman of the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee, he wanted my dad, a fellow University of Texas Law School graduate, to serve as the committee’s assistant counsel.

Earth Day founder, Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI), and Press Secretary Carol Martin, circa 1970. Martin, now 80, is Canon Stephanie Martin Taylor’s mother.

Being one of the most adventurous people I know, my mom urged him to accept, even if it meant rescinding her Ph.D. program application. He did, and that summer, they excitedly packed up their tiny place in Fort Worth, Texas, and headed east to Washington, D.C.

With a master’s degree and several years of experience teaching English, it didn’t take long for Mom to land her own job in the U.S. Senate. Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI) needed a press secretary—and fast. Not only was his office awash in letters from Vietnam veterans and active duty troops seeking his help (Nelson was staunchly anti-war), but he also needed communications support as he planned a little event designed to raise awareness about the sad state of our environment. He called this event “Earth Day”.

Ok, so it wasn’t that little—an estimated 20 million people took part in the nationwide teach-ins and other Earth Day celebrations. But as Mom points out in the attached essay, she had “had no idea that Earth Day would ever be repeated—or become an international event celebrated each year up to the present day.”

In 1971, my parents decided it was time to go home. Mom turned her attention to motherhood, teaching college-level English literature, and, later, painting. She never got that Ph.D., (although heaven help me, I would have loved to watch her shut down sexist comments with, “It’s Doctor Martin to you.”) But, as she often reminds me, titles and honorifics are, in and of themselves, worldly things. What counts is that we each, in our way, honor our creator by building a better and safer world for all.

She writes, “Since [Earth Day] is now part of the World Calendar, it is interesting to note that almost no one remembers the name of its founder.” However, “What is more important than his name is what he accomplished through sponsoring legislation that affects all of us to this day. He was the messenger, and this message continues to inspire our nation to protect our fragile resources—especially our clean air and clean water.”

Amen to that. And as Mom says to me every year on April 22, “Happy Earth Day!”

My mom, 80, and my dad, Mr. Boe Martin, 83, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, College Station.

My Dad with his former boss, Senator Ralph Yarborough (D-TX). Dad also worked as a legislative assistant in Yarborough’s Senate office.

My mom often took dictation from Senator Gaylord Nelson as he answered letters from Vietnam War veterans and active-duty troops. This is a pamphlet I found in my parents’ home, along with the black armband Mom wore to protest the war.

Author: Ellie Simpson