Lewis Mumford was an American historian, philosopher, sociologist and prominent writer and critic of the urban planning of the 20th century. He was born in 1895 in New York and studied at City College of New York. He wrote extensively about cities and technology and their impact on society. He received several honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and National Medal of Arts. Mumford was a critic of urban sprawl and advocated for organic urban planning. He opposed Robert Moses' highway plans in New York City. Mumford also criticized the World Trade Center and America's overreliance on automobiles.

1. Lewis Mumford “the last of the great humanists” Trudy Katz February 2005