SpreadingtheWord

Goodallbegantopublishherfieldresearch,butthescientificcommunitywasdoubtful.Afterall,shehadnoscience training.


In1962,GoodallgaveapresentationonprimatesforLondon’sZoologicalSociety.Manywereimpressed;otherswerenot.Onemembersaidherworkwas“anecdoteand... speculation”thatmadeno“realcontributionto science.”

Achimpanzeedigsfortermiteswithabladeof grass.

Melissareachesoutherhandto Faben.  

ProofPositive

Goodallneededmoreevidenceofherwork.TheNationalGeographicSocietysuggestedshetakephotographsofher discoveries.


TheSocietyhiredHugovanLawickforthejob.The25‑year‑oldDutchmanhadsomeexperienceinnaturalhistoryfilmmaking.HereachedGombeinAugust 1962.

Atfirst,neitherfocusedontakingpicturesofGoodallwiththechimps.ButNationalGeographicmagazineeditorswantedphotosofheraswell.It wasunusualforawomantobeascientistatthistime.PeoplewereascuriousaboutGoodallastheywereaboutthe chimps!


ThephotosvanLawicktookcapturedproofofthechimps’toolmakinganduse.Healsophotographednestbuildingandhowthechimpsbehavedsocially.AndhetookmanypicturesofGoodalldoingherwork.HisphotosappearedwithGoodall’swordsinNationalGeographicmagazine’sAugust1963 story,“MyLifeAmongWild Chimpanzees.”

ThecoverofNationalGeographicmagazine,August 1963

ANovelApproach  

Theissuewasahugesuccess.GoodallandvanLawickcreatedideasformorearticlesand films.


In1964,GoodallwassettogiveherfirstmajorpubliclectureintheUnitedStates.Shehadnotwrittenadraftofherspeech.ButGoodallknewwhatshewantedtosay.Shereported
her discoveries.


ShedescribedscenesofGombe’sbeauty.Shealsodescribedthechimpsbytheirpersonalitiesandthenamesshe’dgiventhem.ShesaidFifiwas“agileandacrobatic.”ShethendescribedFifi’solderbrother,Figan,asanadolescentwho“feelshe’salittlebit superior.”

achimpnamed Pom

GoodallwatchesFlintfroma doorway.

Janedescribedtheneedtoprotectthechimpsandpreventthemfrombeingshotorsoldtocircuses.ShetoldtheaudiencethatDavidGreybeardhadopenedthedoortomanyimportant discoveries.


“DavidGreybeard... hasputhiscompletetrustinman,”shesaid.“Shallwefailhim?Surelyit’suptoustodosomethingtoensurethatatleastsomeofthesefantastic,almosthumancreaturescontinuetoliveundisturbedintheirnaturalhabitat.”Herpresentationwasatriumph.Itwasthebeginningofherlongandsuccessful career.

JaneGoodall,Continued

JaneGoodallwentontoearnher
Ph.D.fromCambridgeUniversity.Shehaspublishedmanymagazinearticlesandbooks.In1991,shefoundedanorganizationcalled“Roots & Shoots”inTanzania.Itsgoalistohelpyoungpeoplebegincareersinconservationwork.Today,herworkinconservation continues.