Happy Black History Month! Meet our founder, Dr. Norman C. Camp, III
Sarah Brim | Mar 03 2026 20:36
Written by: Maya Hardison
Dr. Norman Camp was a founding member of the Episcopalians for Environmental Justice—the precursor to Partners for Environmental Justice—and chairman of the latter for several years. He and other concerned community members convened during monthly evening meetings; the resulting creek cleanings morphed into an organized movement. The Walnut Creek Wetland Park—posthumously named the Norman and Betty Camp Education Center—was his concept. Involved community members know the tale: Dr. Camp was jogging on a trail one day in the area and chanced upon a turtle struggling to escape from a piece of trash. He equated the turtle and its plight to Southeast Raleigh and its struggles and determined that the best path forward would be forged by and for his community. The project was dubbed “Walnut Creek 2000” and culminated in both a timeless wetland park and one of the most trafficked greenways in the city.
Dr. Camp earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Shaw University, a master’s degree in Inorganic Chemistry from Arizona Tempe University, and a master’s in Organic Chemistry and doctorate Science Education degree from North Carolina State University. An accomplished educator and community advocate, he served on numerous local and state-serving boards, chaired the South Citizens’ Advisory Council, and held multiple roles working in state government. More about Dr. Camp can be found in this post.
