Walter Reuther first donated $2,000 to support the first Earth Day in 1970.
Reuther was president of the United Auto Workers, or UAW, and his contribution helped launch the nationwide environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970. Although the initial donation was modest compared with the event’s eventual scale, the UAW became the largest organized financial and logistical supporter of the movement.
Under Reuther’s leadership, the union paid for telephone facilities that allowed organizers to coordinate across the United States. It also financed, printed, and mailed educational materials and encouraged UAW members to join demonstrations and local activities.
The figure is sometimes misunderstood because the UAW’s overall support was far greater than Reuther’s first personal donation. Organizers later credited the union with helping make the event viable, while national coordinator Denis Hayes said Reuther’s participation gave Earth Day immediate credibility with the press and the public. Reuther died less than a month after the first Earth Day, in May 1970.