She actively worked towards environmental conservation and was heavily involved in women's rights. Wangari was largely inspired by the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements taking place in the United States. She graduated from three different universities and, in 1971, became the first East African woman to earn her doctorate. She motivated the women to plant trees and, in return, they received a salary. In 2004, Ms. Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her “struggle to promote environmentally sustainable social, economic and cultural development in Kenya and Africa” (nobelprize.org). She continued to work for democracy and peace until her death in