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M. Stanton Evans, famed journalist and author, died Tuesday, the New York Times reported. He was 80.

Known for a combination of biting wit and carefully reasoned critiques, Evans made a career out of educating the American people on the importance of conservative values and ideas. To call him a trailblazer would be disrespectful. He served as the only voice for conservatives twenty years before Ronald Reagan proudly proclaimed himself to be an American conservative during his 1980 presidential campaign.

Evans sought to establish greater opportunities for young conservatives. He established Young Americans for Freedom as an outlet for university students to garner information and express their opinions at a time when Liberalism was firmly entrenched in the American collegiate system. He outlined his manifesto for Young Americans for Freedom in the Sharon Statement, known today as a unifying message for many American conservatives.  His ideas helped spurn on a rapid growth in conservative thought on college campuses across the United States.

M. Stanton Evans engaged America’s aspiring young journalists by creating the National Journalist Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the instruction of ethical journalism through conservative ideas. To date, the National Journalist Center has succeeded in producing thousands of graduates, a testament to the movement and ideas Evans helped build.

His efforts were not limited to creating charity organizations. M. Stanton Evans devoted much of his time challenging the American conscious through moving books. In 1961, Evans released Revolt on Campus, wherein he sought to encourage young conservatives to express their opinions on campus. His book was well received, as more and more youth joined the center-right.

Indeed, M. Stanton Evan’s contributions to conservatism, journalism, and collegiate youth will be unmatched for years to come. The conservative movement lost one of its forefathers on Tuesday. Americans for Tax Reform would like to express its deepest condolences to his family and wish them well in the future.