Earth Day and The Crying Indian

His face is unmistakable to an entire generation of Americans. The Crying Indian, aka Iron Eyes Cody, who was in fact an Italian-American actor, became an anti-pollution icon when he appeared in the famous Keep America Beautiful public service announcements that aired on television in the early 1970s. The ad premiered on April 22, 1971—the second Earth Day ever. Today is the 41st.


Swann Galleries' May 5th Modernist Posters auction features a poster of the Crying Indian from the same Ad Council campaign warning Pollution Hurts All of Us.


Check out the full commercial below to see what brought Iron Eyes to tears.




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