To kick off our Black History Month celebration, we’re honoring Dr. John Francis, a dedicated activist and environmentalist who spent 22 years traveling across America on foot to raise national environmental awareness, earning him the nickname of “The Planetwalker”. Dr. John Francis was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1946. His early interest in travel developed into a love for geography and the outdoors, prompting him to move to California in the 60s. It wasn’t until reading Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring in the early 70s, however, that he started to become more environmentally aware.
Francis’ unexpected path into activism began in 1971 when he witnessed an 840,000-gallon oil spill in San Francisco. Feeling partially responsible, he joined volunteer groups helping clean the beaches and save poisoned wildlife, but after a neighbor’s sudden death the following year, he was compelled to make a stronger commitment to reducing his carbon footprint and spreading awareness.
In 1972, Dr. John Francis decided to forgo motorized vehicles, a choice that was met with confusion, criticism, and mockery from those around him. Tired of constantly arguing, he selected to stop speaking for a day so he could really listen to what others had to say. He found this so valuable that he remained silent for the next 17 years. During his silence, the Planetwalker managed to obtain a bachelor’s degree from Southern Oregon University, a master’s in environmental studies from the University of Montana, and a PhD in land resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While getting his education, Francis also founded PlanetWalk – a nonprofit environmental awareness organization that promotes environmental responsibility and education.
Dr. John Francis broke his vow of silence on April 22, 1990, to give a speech on the 20th anniversary of Earth Day. Shortly after ending his silence, Francis walked to Washington DC to join the US Coast Guard Oil Pollution Act Staff as a project manager, where he helped write oil spill regulations. This work led to him receiving the US Department of Transportation’s Public Service Commendation, and the following year he was appointed as the United Nations Environment Program’s Goodwill Ambassador to the World’s Grassroots Communities.
Since beginning his journey in 1972, Dr. John Francis has walked and sailed across the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, the Caribbean, Chile, and Venezuela. In 2005, he published his first book, Planetwalker: How to Change Your World One Step at a Time – republished by National Geographic in 2008 as Planetwalker: 17 Years of Silence, 22 Years of Walking. In 2010, Francis became the first ever National Geographic Education Fellow, and published another book with them, titled, The Ragged Edge of Silence: Finding Peace in a Noisy World. He also briefly served as a visiting associate professor at the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Today, Planetwalk is developing Planetlines, an environmental education curriculum based on the experiences of John Francis. He is currently collaborating with GLOBE Africa to complete his final Planetwalk, a 5,000-mile trip from Cape Town to Cairo. Since starting in 2023, he has been collecting climate data and speaking at local GLOBE schools along the way, all while documenting his journey in an interactive StoryMap. The Planetwalker’s commitment to environmental conservation and education is a reminder of the collective responsibility we all have to look after our planet. Through advocacy and thoughtful listening, Dr. John Francis challenges us to rethink our relationship with the Earth and approach environmental issues with an open mind. This Black History Month, let’s celebrate Dr. John Francis by taking meaningful action to protect our environment!