Free Film Screening Featuring ‘The Politics of Beauty’ at UCM March 27

An environmental advocate who championed the creation of national parks, historic sites, and wildife refuges, former United States Interior Secretary Stewart L. Udall, right, served under Presidents John F. Kennedy, left, and Lyndon B. Johnson.

WARRENSBURG, MO – The documentary film, “Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty,” will be shown at 2 p.m. Monday, March 27, in Elliott Student Union, Room 238, at the University of Central Missouri. This free presentation is open to everyone, and will be followed by a brief chat with the film’s director, John de Graaf.

The new 78-minute documentary celebrates the life and legacy of former Interior Secretary Stewart L. Udall, who was considered by many as America’s most effective environmentalist. He fought tirelessly for the protection of the planet and its natural beauty and was the first public official to speak out about global warming. 

“Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty” takes viewers on a trek that chronicles Udall’s life and work. Segments touch on his World War II experiences, his days as a star basketball player for the University of Arizona, and efforts to end Jim Crow policies at the university leading up to his work in the National Park Service, his election to Congress and his decade as Interior Secretary under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, during which he helped create dozens of national parks, monuments, historical Sites and wildlife refuges.

Udall pushed legislation through Congress mandating clean air and water, wilderness preservation, pesticide restrictions, strip-mining reclamation, and the establishment of Wild and Scenic Rivers and National Trails systems, while providing greater self-determination for Native Americans. The film explores the hard choices Udall had to make regarding both the Vietnam War and plans to dam the Grand Canyon, which he stopped. This ground-breaking film goes beyond Udall’s accomplishments to explore the values that motivated him, especially his concern for beauty and balance, as expressed in the Navajo concept of Hozho.

For more information, email the film director, John de Graaf: jodg@comcast.net or call 206-407-5490. The campus contact regarding the documentary is Maureen Wilt, professor of social work, 660-543-8196 or wilt@ucmo.edu.