November 20, 1953 – April 12, 2022

Philip Klasky, beloved teacher and lifelong activist, taught in American Indian Studies and Race and Resistance Studies at San Francisco State University for nearly two decades. Prior to SF State, he was the founding director of The Storyscape Project of the Cultural Conservancy (TCC), which repatriated more than 600 legacy recordings of endangered languages to US tribes. The Storyscape Project grew out of Phil’s involvement in the successful campaign to stop the proposed nuclear waste dump at Ward Valley, land sacred to the five Colorado River Indian Tribes. Phil worked with Ft. Mojave tribal leader Lewellyn Barrackman to preserve audio recordings of the Mojave Creation Songs, which featured references to Ward Valley as land central to the tribe’s culture, and he led litigation resulting in the designation of 6.5 million acres of critical habitat for the endangered desert tortoise, which included Ward Valley.

Phil enjoyed working in his garden and the gardens of loved ones, and could state the scientific name of any flower or plant. He embraced nature and loved to hike in the hills of Marin, kayak on Northern California rivers, and climb the rocks of Joshua Tree.

He will be remembered for his beautiful smile and joyous spirit. He is survived by his wife, Catherine Powell, sisters Ilene Marwick and Nancy Klasky Gribler, his niece, and a wide circle of friends.

(Posted on SFGate/Legacy.com.)

The Kitchen Sisters podcast episode “House of Night” features their early National Public Radio “Lost and Found Sound” segment on the Storyscape Project and Phil’s work to preserve the Mojave Creation Songs.

Listen to the 90 Miles From Needles podcast episode: Remembering Phil Klasky and Ward Valley by Chris Clarke and Alicia Pike.

(Thanks to Dana Smith (danadanadana.com) who worked with Phil to develop the core of this site in years past and helped us to realize this memorial site.)