Lola Van Wagenen: Historian, Filmmaker, And Activist

Lola Van Wagenen is an American historian, environmental activist, and documentary filmmaker whose work bridges rigorous academic research and public storytelling. While public profiles often introduce her through her past marriage to actor Robert Redford, her independent contributions span decades of environmental advocacy, historical scholarship, and executive producing archival documentary films that examine the hidden human stories behind American history.

Born in Provo, Utah, in 1938, Van Wagenen carved a distinct path defined by academic persistence, non-profit leadership, and visual media production. Her career demonstrates how historical inquiry can extend beyond university libraries to reach broad audiences through film and public education.

Academic Journey and Scholarly Focus

Van Wagenen's path to higher education unfolded in stages. After starting her studies at Brigham Young University in the late 1950s, she paused her formal schooling to raise a family. She returned to academics later in life, earning a bachelor's degree from Vermont College in 1982.

She then pursued graduate studies at New York University (NYU), where she earned her master's degree in public history in 1984 and completed her Ph.D. in American history a decade later. Her doctoral research concentrated on nineteenth-century social movements, leading to her seminal book, Sister-Wives and Suffragists: Polygamy and the Politics of Woman Suffrage 1870–1896, published by Yale University Press. This scholarly work investigated the complex political alliances and tensions surrounding women's suffrage and plural marriage in the American West, offering a nuanced view of women's political agency during a period of rapid legal transformation.

Environmental Activism and Consumer Action Now

Long before sustainability entered mainstream corporate vocabulary, Van Wagenen engaged in grassroots environmentalism. In 1970, she co-founded Consumer Action Now (CAN), a New York-based non-profit educational organization designed to raise awareness about environmental preservation, household pollution, and energy conservation.

Through CAN, Van Wagenen organized public campaigns that challenged corporate practices and encouraged consumers to evaluate their environmental impact. Her leadership in the environmental sector earned her appointment to several national boards and federal advisory bodies during the 1970s, including the Task Force on Appropriate Technology with the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment and the National Commission on the International Year of the Child. In recognition of her early advocacy for renewable energy resources, the Pratt Institute awarded her an honorary doctorate in science in 1979.

Clio Visualizing History: Bringing Archives to Life

In 1995, combining her passion for historical research with visual media, Van Wagenen co-founded Clio Visualizing History, Inc. alongside historian Jeanne Houck. The organization operates as a non-profit educational entity dedicated to unearthing underrepresented narratives in American history and translating them into dynamic formats for the general public, educators, and students.

Through Clio, Van Wagenen shifted from traditional academic publishing to executive producing historical documentaries that brought archival research to television and educational curricula. Her production portfolio includes:

• Miss America: A Documentary Film (2002): Co-produced for the PBS American Experience series, this project explored the cultural history of the iconic pageant as a lens on changing American womanhood.
• Lowell Thomas: The American Storyteller (2008): A documentary chronicling the life and media empire of the legendary broadcast pioneer.
• The State of Marriage (2015): A feature documentary examining the legal battle for marriage equality, focusing on Vermont's pioneering role in civil unions and same-sex marriage legislation.

These films reflect her core methodology: grounding large historical movements in individual human experiences, personal courage, and legal struggles.

Civic Leadership and Philanthropy

Beyond her production work, Van Wagenen maintains an active role in educational and cultural institutions, particularly in Vermont, where she resides with her husband, George Burrill. She has served on the boards of directors for organizations such as Shelburne Farms, the Vermont Historical Society, and the New York Women's Foundation.

Her philanthropic commitments also extend to higher education access. She and her husband established the New American Scholarship Fund at Champlain College and she has contributed to selection committees for international student scholarships, such as the Robertson Scholars program at Duke University and the University of North Carolina.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lola Van Wagenen best known for?

She is recognized primarily for her work as an American historian, co-founding the environmental organization Consumer Action Now, and establishing Clio Visualizing History to produce educational documentaries. In popular culture, she is also known as the former wife of actor Robert Redford, with whom she shares three surviving children.

What academic degrees does Lola Van Wagenen hold?

She earned her bachelor's degree from Vermont College in 1982, followed by a master's degree in public history from New York University (NYU) in 1984, and a Ph.D. in American history from NYU in 1994.

What subjects does her book Sister-Wives and Suffragists cover?

Published in 2003 based on her doctoral dissertation, the book examines the political history of woman suffrage in the nineteenth-century American West, detailing how Mormon women navigated politics and suffrage campaigns during the controversy surrounding plural marriage.

How did Clio Visualizing History start?

Lola Van Wagenen co-founded Clio Visualizing History in 1995 with historian Jeanne Houck to bridge the gap between academic historical research and public education, utilizing documentary film and digital archives to make history accessible to broader audiences.