Rachel Carson (Springdale 1907-Silver Spring 1964) Marine biologist and conservationist. Her writings were precursors of the environmental movement. She studied pollution from synthetic pesticides and published Silent Spring, sparking concern for the environment. President Kennedy’s Science Committee pushed for a change in U.S. pesticide policy. Some official bodies and chemical industries accused her of being a communist. She was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter.