Stewart Udall is often cited as US history's most effective Secretary of the Interior. He served in the position under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson from 1961 through 1969. Growing up in rural Arizona, during the age of electrification, Udall had a unique perspective on urban expansion and natural beauty. Like the conservationists that came before him, he believed it was the duty of conservation to preserve natural beauty for generations to come.
However, he went many steps further than any others who’ve held the position of Secretary of the Interior, extending his beliefs to clean air, water, and environmental justice. Under his command, the Department of the Interior accepted black professionals into its ranks, worked in tandem with the BIA to extend the representation of Native Americans in the organizations under its purview, and created more acreage of national reserves and parks than any other administration.
Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty is as emotionally moving as it is informative. My single complaint about this film is its occasionally corny sound design. Otherwise, Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty contains outstanding nature videography and information about this influential statesman. This fantastic biography chronicles the life and work of one of the most successful conservationists in US history.
With interviews with the entirety of his surviving family, his co-workers and subordinates during the 60s, and a plethora of archival footage, this film gives us a surprisingly well-rounded view of Udall. His failures are analyzed alongside his successes, making this a very effective biography.
Though it is far too long for a single viewing in most classrooms, sections or several viewings of Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty would be incredibly valuable for anyone studying Stewart Udall, the Department of the Interior, or conservationism and ecology. Stewart Udall’s lifelong quest to support ecology, social justice, and an end to war is as inspiring as it is interesting. Highly Recommended.
What type of instructors could use this title?
Those teaching Arizona history and touching on Udall and professors of ecology and public administration will find the most use in Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty.
Where does this documentary belong on public library shelves?
Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty belongs on biography, history, and ecology documentary shelves.