Best-selling writer and devoted environmentalist Cleveland Amory (1917–1998) was born on this day in Nahant, Massachu setts. Inspired by the novel Black Beauty, Amory became a lifelong champion for animal rights.

“Animals have been special to me for as long as I can remember,” he said.

Amory was a columnist for Parade magazine, a commentator for the Today show, and founder of the Fund for Animals. He served in WWII’s Army Intelligence and once quipped, “There are three terrible ages of childhood—1 to 10, 10 to 20, and 20 to 30.”

He shared his home—and heart—with Polar Bear, a rescued alley cat whose stories filled three beloved books: The Cat Who Came for Christmas (1987), The Cat and the Curmudgeon (1990), and The Best Cat Ever (1993).

“Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression,” Amory reflected.

His dream came true with the founding of Black Beauty Ranch in East Texas, a 1,620-acre sanctuary for rescued animals. He is buried there, beside his cherished cat.