Natural History Wanderings

Audubon Magazine recently published an article by conservation ornithologist J. Drew Lanham is a questioning how Audubon as an organization is going to deal with Jan James Audubon’s racism. It explores in depth who Audubon is and challenges the Audubon organization to address those attitudes.

You may have entered the realm of Audubon magazine to escape such a discussion. But it belongs here. The person whose name graces the publication, brands the national organization, and shapes how we perceive birds was more than most of his acolytes know—much less want to openly address. Questions about the bird man’s own race, how he identified others, and how his soured, inhumane legacy carries forward will define the future course of the movement he inspired. They also hold truths about our ability to help birds, and ourselves.

Read article at What Do We Do About John James Audubon?