Juliana v. Trump: Historical Origins of Youth Activism Against Climate Change

• In Event: Lessons and Legacies from the 1970s: From Local to Global on Climate, Plastics, and Pesticides

Abstract

In 2015, a group of twenty-one young people, ranging in ages from 10-20, filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration (later styled Juliana v. Trump with the change in administrations). They alleged that the federal government had failed to adequately address climate change and therefore violated their constitutional rights. Led by attorney Julia Olson, the kids had developed concern for nature from a variety of sources. Family proved influential, as several of the plaintiffs’ parents had been involved in environmental activism. Many of the kids demonstrate a deep connection to place, beginning with their local areas and later with national and international causes. They creatively use social media to connect with their peers and adults, bucking the common stereotype advanced by adults that the digital age has caused a disconnect between kids and nature.

Deep historical connections tie this 21st century activism to how children have connected with the environment in the past. An examination of children’s attitudes toward the environment found in Highlights and Jack & Jill magazines demonstrates how historical study can illuminate the origins and causes of activism, as well as deconstruct damaging and inaccurate stereotypes about kids and interactions with nature. Magazine submissions by kids clearly show that nature held a steady, prominent place in young people’s lives from the 1960s through 1980 (the period when Juliana parents came of age). They noticed and commented on details of seasonal changes, their feelings in nature, and often used nature as a way to express feelings of dissent or oppression within adult society. This paper seeks to connect the activism of the young people in the Juliana case with children in the decades surrounding the first Earth Day, to recognize the historical roots and continuities in children’s involvement with nature.

Author

• Elizabeth (Scout) Dian Blum, Troy University