Dr. Robert Bullard, the foremost scholar on environmental justice in the United States, spoke about his work on Jan. 27.

Bullard’s lecture was part of the 2014 Black History Month series organized by the Multicultural Student Services at the University. Bullard is considered the Father of Environmental Justice by many. His discussion addressed issues such as environmental racism, urban land use, climate injustice, and regional justice. Bullard is currently the Dean of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University.

“The most shocking fact for me was that white people with an annual income of $10,000 still live in better environmental areas than black people with an income of $40,000. It is good to get people’s attention on these facts and also what can be done about it,” Eva Maiberger said.

Bullard started studying sociology at Atlanta University in the late 1960s. After graduating, he continued his education at Iowa State University where he earned his PhD. He was involved in the Whispering Pines Sanitary landfill based in the Houston areas in 1978, a highlight in his environmental activism career.

Bullard has written 17 books on topics ranging from smart growth to community reinvestment. Throughout his lecture, Bullard stressed the importance of student activism in the environment.

“Social movements are based on students,” Bullard said.