Courtesy of J. Drew Lanham

J. Drew Lanham

Contributor, Audubon Magazine

J. Drew Lanham is a conservation ornithologist and endowed faculty at Clemson University, where his work focuses on the intersections among race, place, and nature. He is the author of The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature and Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts.

Articles by J. Drew Lanham

What Do We Do About John James Audubon?
April 23, 2021 — The founding father of American birding soared on the wings of white privilege. The birding community and organizations that bear his name must grapple with this racist legacy to create a more just, inclusive world.
News
The United State of Birding
December 19, 2017 — After a racist encounter in the field, a birder reflects on the disturbing incident and the community that helped lift him back up.
Year of the Bird
Image of marsh grasses and water on a sunny day.
What We Lose When We Forget the History of Our Public Lands
September 29, 2017 — Public lands let us experience wildness in spaces where nature and history converge. How do we make them more inclusive to all?
News
Courtesy of J. Drew Lanham
The Freedom to Bird
January 01, 2015 — For ornithologist Drew Lanham, it started with the (in)ability to fly.
Why I'm a Birder