THE POWER OF A DEMONSTRATION

It did not look like much.  Just a bunch of neighbors standing under a cold sky, outside the gates of the Tonawanda Coke Corporation, determined to ‘speak truth to power.’ Next day, a photograph of the little crowd ended up in the Buffalo News. That photo caught the attention of Arron Mango, an Assistant United States attorney for the Department of Justice. He suspected something criminal was going on and ordered an investigation. He was right! One thing led to another until TCC was convicted of releasing benzene and other poisons into the air.  Through the efforts of many people, this criminal enterprise was finally brought down and the smokestacks razed. 

This is one of my illustrations from the story written by Jackie James, the leader of the group who took on TCC. Now we are creating a children’s book to help inspire kids and show how they can use citizen science to help save their environment.  Publishing date is Spring 2027!

#tonawanda  #tonawandacokecorporation #pollution #CleanAirAct #watercolor #citizenscience #jackiejames  #benzene   #J.D.Crane