John McConnell and the Earth Flag
Much has been made of this day, April 22nd as the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Many celebratory events were planned but, sadly, they have been curtailed or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It could be argued that we got the 50th anniversary wrong by a couple of years, anyway. John McConnell, son of a Pentecostal preacher and a committed Christian, was a peace activist of the 1950's and 60's. Over time he made the connection between peace amongst humans and making peace with the planet. According to his widow, Anna, McConnell came up with the notion of an annual Earth Day in 1968 and declared it to be on the vernal equinox, which is around March 20 or 21. Anna said he called the celebration a “global holiday” and designed the trademark Earth flag in 1969 as his symbol of universal inclusion to a universal priority.
Original Earth Day buttion
McConnell introduced the idea of a global holiday at the UNESCO Conference on the Environment after a devastating oil spill off the coast of California in 1969. He also designed the flag which is often recognized as the Earth flag that same year.
McConnell felt that his proposal was usurped by Senator Gaylord Nelson, who is celebrated for founding Earth Day, Nelson was certainly a conservationist and environmentalist who was instrumental in promoting this day which now has international recognition.
I'm grateful for McConnell's vision and legacy and that he was motivated by his Christian faith. It can be an encouragement to all of us Groundlings to "live with respect in Creation."
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