Randa Abdel-Fattah

If people didn't know Ralph Nader's name before, by the 1970s, Nader was a household name.

For Nader, his fame served one purpose and one purpose only, to continue demanding more protections for consumers.

For Nader, his fame served one purpose and one purpose only, to continue demanding more protections for consumers.

For Nader, his fame served one purpose and one purpose only, to continue demanding more protections for consumers.

This is Joan Claybrook again. She stayed in touch with Ralph and continued working on car safety issues.

This is Joan Claybrook again. She stayed in touch with Ralph and continued working on car safety issues.

This is Joan Claybrook again. She stayed in touch with Ralph and continued working on car safety issues.

The wins were stacking up for Nader and the consumer movement throughout the 1970s. But not everyone was on board with this growing consumer movement and Ralph Nader's vision of an energized consumer citizen.

The wins were stacking up for Nader and the consumer movement throughout the 1970s. But not everyone was on board with this growing consumer movement and Ralph Nader's vision of an energized consumer citizen.

The wins were stacking up for Nader and the consumer movement throughout the 1970s. But not everyone was on board with this growing consumer movement and Ralph Nader's vision of an energized consumer citizen.

Business leaders and, of course, the car industry had long been wary of Nader.

Business leaders and, of course, the car industry had long been wary of Nader.

Business leaders and, of course, the car industry had long been wary of Nader.

But as the power of the consumer movement grew, a conservative political backlash started to take shape, spearheaded by a soon-to-be U.S. Supreme Court justice named Lewis Powell.

But as the power of the consumer movement grew, a conservative political backlash started to take shape, spearheaded by a soon-to-be U.S. Supreme Court justice named Lewis Powell.

But as the power of the consumer movement grew, a conservative political backlash started to take shape, spearheaded by a soon-to-be U.S. Supreme Court justice named Lewis Powell.

Coming up, big business strikes back.

Coming up, big business strikes back.

Coming up, big business strikes back.

It's the summer of 1976. The country is celebrating the nation's bicentennial anniversary, and the mood is especially festive in Plains, Georgia.