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Project Details

This exhibit reveals the surprising story and influence of a group of environmental activists that went by the name GASP: Gals Against Smog and Pollution. Women organized GASP in Missoula, Montana in the late 1960s to fight air pollution from the local pulp mill. Their efforts brought change, and inspired other activists, including Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day.

GASP's story touches on themes of the environment, gender, and class. It encapsulates many of the key aspects of local environmental groups that emerged in the 1960s, while also presenting a unique story.

The multimedia exhibit draws on oral histories, archival documents, photographs, and maps to tell the story of GASP.

Subjects or Themes

Environmentalism, Gender, Women, Class, American West, Pollution, Mills

Project Language(s)

English

Time Period

Geographic Location

Project Categories

Content Type

Oral History, Maps, Archival Images, Photographs

Target Audience(s)

Creators

Leif Fredrickson, Clara Mcrae

Year(s)

2020

Host Institution / Affiliation / Project Location

Women's Reproductive History Alliance

Software Employed

Labor and Support

Started as a class project and finished in the summer and fall.

Project Cost

Partnerships, funding sources, or grant-funding acknowledgement

This exhibit was made possible by a Preserving Missoula County's History Grant by the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, awarded to Women's Voices for the Earth. We appreciate the support of the University of Montana History Department, as well as the Archives and Special Collections at the University of Montana. We are grateful to all of the oral history contributors who helped bring this important history to life - Virginia Deland, Mae Nan Ellingson, Ron Erickson, Ellen Knight, Robin Tawney Nichols, Martha Onishuk, Bryony Schwan, and Larry Weeks.