Mike Clark Photograph Collection

Mike Clark was born 12 Sep 1945, entering Berea College in 1963, graduating with a bachelor's degree in English, 1967. He served the College in the role of a photographer. He was a member of The Pinnacle newspaper staff for four years and served as editor of the paper in his junior year. He participated in and photographed the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Kentucky.

After graduation, he worked for the Mountain Eagle newspaper in Whitesburg, Kentucky, joined the staff of the Highlander Research and Education Center, Tennessee, he served in a variety of staffing roles, working with numerous Appalachian community groups from northwest Georgia to southern Ohio, and later serving as the organizational Director 1973-1978. He became a respected conservationist and environmental leader and social activist.

Mike has served as the executive director of nine different non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and The Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He also served on over 25 non-profit boards during a 45-year time period. For over four decades, he has been heavily involved in an array of advocacy work.

He was in England circa 1970, to help edit and narrate a 26-minute documentary film entitled, “The Mountain People”. Directed by Denis Mitchell, the documentary was screened on British television to widespread acclaim.

Now based in Montana, his work continued as an independent consultant who provides strategic and management services to non-profits, private foundations, and community groups. His work focuses on the environment, human rights, and the roles of government, industry, and communities that are grappling with complex, long-term issues and conflict.

This biographical description has been complied by Jeremiah, a member of the archive student labor team.