Yosemite National Park, California
Albright Lecture Series
The Horace M. Albright Lecture in Conservation is an annual lecture series established at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1959. A permanent endowment of the lectureship was provided by contributions from hundreds of generous friends and admirers of Albright. This lectureship enables the University to honor Albright as one of its distinguished graduates, and also to stimulate broad general interest in the preservation of the natural beauty of America - for this and future generations.
Born in Bishop, California, in 1890, Horace Albright was a member of the class of 1912 at UC Berkeley, a devoted alumnus, and an honorary LL.D. (1961). He joined the Department of the Interior in 1913 as an assistant to then-Secretary Franklin K. Lane. In 1916 he helped create the National Park Service with fellow UC Berkeley alumnus Stephen Mather. He was the first civilian superintendent of the Yellowstone National Park from 1919 until 1929, when he was appointed the second director of the National Park Service, following Mather's inaugural leadership. Albright served as director until 1933, when he left to join the U.S. Potash Company, from which he retired as president in 1956.
During the time he served as a corporate executive, Albright maintained an active role in the conservation of America’s resources, serving as a member of the National Park System’s advisory board, the council of the Save-the- Redwoods League, and the advisory council of the National Outdoors Resources Review Committee. Thus, Albright’s career encompassed both the preservation and utilization of natural resources. His years of service as Chair of the Board of Directors of Resources for the Future, Inc. typify his concern for the conservation of resources. The Albright lectures are dedicated to his commitment and passion.
The nation’s highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, was awarded to Albright by President Carter on the 64th anniversary of the National Park Service. President Carter announced the award in August of 1980, and the medal was presented on December 8 by Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Robert L. Herbst, in a ceremony at Van Nuys, California.
Horace Albright died on March 2, 1987. His lifelong dedication to conservation was exemplified by the effort in the last year of his life to assist the University of California in acquiring land for the Natural Reserve System.
Born in Bishop, California, in 1890, Horace Albright was a member of the class of 1912 at UC Berkeley, a devoted alumnus, and an honorary LL.D. (1961). He joined the Department of the Interior in 1913 as an assistant to then-Secretary Franklin K. Lane. In 1916 he helped create the National Park Service with fellow UC Berkeley alumnus Stephen Mather. He was the first civilian superintendent of the Yellowstone National Park from 1919 until 1929, when he was appointed the second director of the National Park Service, following Mather's inaugural leadership. Albright served as director until 1933, when he left to join the U.S. Potash Company, from which he retired as president in 1956.
During the time he served as a corporate executive, Albright maintained an active role in the conservation of America’s resources, serving as a member of the National Park System’s advisory board, the council of the Save-the- Redwoods League, and the advisory council of the National Outdoors Resources Review Committee. Thus, Albright’s career encompassed both the preservation and utilization of natural resources. His years of service as Chair of the Board of Directors of Resources for the Future, Inc. typify his concern for the conservation of resources. The Albright lectures are dedicated to his commitment and passion.
The nation’s highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, was awarded to Albright by President Carter on the 64th anniversary of the National Park Service. President Carter announced the award in August of 1980, and the medal was presented on December 8 by Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Robert L. Herbst, in a ceremony at Van Nuys, California.
Horace Albright died on March 2, 1987. His lifelong dedication to conservation was exemplified by the effort in the last year of his life to assist the University of California in acquiring land for the Natural Reserve System.
Introducing Horace Marden Albright
In 1959 a group of friends of Horace Marden Albright banded together to establish a Lectureship in Conservation in recognition of his distinguished contributions to this cause. The Lectureship was established at the University of California, of which Horace Albright is a member of the class of 1912, a devoted alumnus, and an honorary LL.D. (1961). Associated with the National Park Service from its establishment, he served as its second Director from 1929 to 1933. He then joined the U. S. Potash Company, which he served as both General Manager and President. Thus his career encompasses both the preservation and the utilization of natural resources. His years of service as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Resources for the Future, Inc., typify his concern with the conservation of resources for the enjoyment, inspiration, and economic utilization of all people, both now and in the future. These published lectures are dedicated to this end.
By appropriate coincidence, Dr. Albright was appointed as Regents' Lecturer at the University of California in 1961, the first year of the newly established Lectureship. This has provided the opportunity to publish a lecture by Horace Albright as the first of a series to be based on the Horace M. Albright Lectureship.
In 1959 a group of friends of Horace Marden Albright banded together to establish a Lectureship in Conservation in recognition of his distinguished contributions to this cause. The Lectureship was established at the University of California, of which Horace Albright is a member of the class of 1912, a devoted alumnus, and an honorary LL.D. (1961). Associated with the National Park Service from its establishment, he served as its second Director from 1929 to 1933. He then joined the U. S. Potash Company, which he served as both General Manager and President. Thus his career encompasses both the preservation and the utilization of natural resources. His years of service as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Resources for the Future, Inc., typify his concern with the conservation of resources for the enjoyment, inspiration, and economic utilization of all people, both now and in the future. These published lectures are dedicated to this end.
By appropriate coincidence, Dr. Albright was appointed as Regents' Lecturer at the University of California in 1961, the first year of the newly established Lectureship. This has provided the opportunity to publish a lecture by Horace Albright as the first of a series to be based on the Horace M. Albright Lectureship.