The Winona Laduke Reader

Ralph Nader an American activist was born on February 27, 1934. In 1951 he was accepted at Princeton University; the university offered him a scholarship, but his father turned it away, saying it should go to a student who couldn't afford tuition. Nader graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 1955. He then went on to Harvard Law School, where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws in 1958. For the past forty-five years, Nader has challenged corporations, government agencies, and institutions to be more accountable to the public. In 1965, "Unsafe at Any Speed" changed the face of the automobile industry and made Ralph Nader a household name. As a result of his efforts, cars have more safety features. His lobbying and writing on the food industry insured that the food we buy is required to pass strict guidelines before reaching the consumer. One of his greatest achievements was the 1974 amendment to the Freedom of Information Act that gave increased public access to government documents. This brought freedom of press to a new level, resulting in increased access for journalists.

Nader is a five-time candidate for President of the United States. He has co-founded numerous public interest groups including Public Citizen, Critical Mass, Commercial Alert, and the Center for Study of Responsive Law. He continues to be a relentless force for grassroots activism and democratic change in the United States.

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