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This is an old article but it is very interesting. Basically, it talks about the fact that very few Blacks visit National Parks. If there is one thing I love about this country is our National Parks and it is a shame that African Americans are not taking advantage of these places
A couple weeks ago, I drove from Des Moines, Iowa to Deadwood, South Dakota, I drove for 9 hours and did not see one black person between here and there. I stopped at Badlands NP and I have to say, the place is spectacular! I ended up driving on to Mount Rushmore and that was an amazing experience
How can we make sure that our African American brothers start taking advantage of some of the most beautiful things this country has to offer??
People are either interested in visiting National Parks and State Parks, or, they are not. I do not see what race has to do with it. Lifestyle is a more likely indicator. Those who enjoy outdoor activities are more likely to utilize the National Parks System than those who do not.
I would go so far as to say that those who did not grow up with a father figure in their lives who enjoyed outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, etc..., would probably be less likely to utilize State and National Parks than those who did and had that experience passed down to them through doing with family or scouting experiences.
When I visit Mount Rushmore I see people of all different ethnicities and nationalities visiting. I'm not certain why your experience was so much different.
Lastly: location, location, location. I suspect the OP would have seen plenty of blacks at more urban accessible National Parks, such as in Washington DC. However, when you must drive long distances from major airports (Rapid City is a relativley small airport) those who normally rely on public transportation may be less likely to attend.
Last edited by lifelongMOgal; 05-02-2012 at 01:30 PM..
From Thursday through Sunday of this week I will be backpacking through most of Pennsylvania on the Appalachian Trail. It's almost a 100% guarantee that I won't encounter one black person on the trail, or in the various state parks that I pass through as I head north.
I agree with lifelongMOgal.....I believe it's more about lifestyles and interests than it is about race. However, i'm not surprised that our government has determined that it's a lopsided racial issue worth wasting taxpayer dollars for.
From Thursday through Sunday of this week I will be backpacking through most of Pennsylvania on the Appalachian Trail. It's almost a 100% guarantee that I won't encounter one black person on the trail, or in the various state parks that I pass through as I head north.
I agree with lifelongMOgal.....I believe it's more about lifestyles and interests than it is about race. However, i'm not surprised that our government has determined that it's a lopsided racial issue worth wasting taxpayer dollars over.
Yes, it is lifestyle. I love going to the park, and know plenty of black people who enjoy the same. I also attended camp most summers when I was a child. Different strokes.
Yet no group avoids national parks as much as African-Americans. The 2000 survey found that blacks were three times as likely as whites to believe that park employees gave them poor service and that parks were “uncomfortable places.”
Good points so far but what I was trying to get to is that, apparently a lot of Blacks don't feel safe at National Parks.
If you read the article, one of the girls is scared of being too far away from the city because her grandpa told her that the KKK hides in the mountains.
I can't imagine living in the USA and not having any interest in seeing our wonderful National Parks. Heck, people come here from Japan, China, Europe just to be able to see places like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, etc.
Meh...black folks don't care about certain outdoor activities for the most part. Camping? Nope. Hunting? Mildly so...rural blacks hunt all the time. Fishing? We love fishing just as much as any white person if not more. Hiking? Depends. But we're generally not the type to bother with areas that we have no business being in....like where dangerous animals are for example. LOL We already find normal life to be adventurous enough without a Grizzly Bear or Wild Boar on our trail.
So it does have a little to do with race, but race isn't the whole story. We just don't care to rough it in general. Again, there are exceptions, but i'm pretty much right for the most part.
Besides, as long as black folks aren't complaining about it, there is no sense in making a big issue of it. From anecdotal experience, i can say that most black folks don't think we're missing anything. Personally, rather than spend a boatload of money to go to Yellowstone on vacation, i'd spend that same money going to Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, San Francisco, or Santa Barbara. Anything to get next to a great piece of fish, a steak, and a glass of wine. They don't have that stuff at national parks.
This is an old article but it is very interesting. Basically, it talks about the fact that very few Blacks visit National Parks. If there is one thing I love about this country is our National Parks and it is a shame that African Americans are not taking advantage of these places
A couple weeks ago, I drove from Des Moines, Iowa to Deadwood, South Dakota, I drove for 9 hours and did not see one black person between here and there. I stopped at Badlands NP and I have to say, the place is spectacular! I ended up driving on to Mount Rushmore and that was an amazing experience
How can we make sure that our African American brothers start taking advantage of some of the most beautiful things this country has to offer??
I think we need an affirmative action admission process which grants priority for any reservations and free admission to the demographic that is underrepresented in the parks.
I think we need an affirmative action admission process which grants priority for any reservations and free admission to the demographic that is underrepresented in the parks.
I think we need an affirmative action admission process which grants priority for any reservations and free admission to the demographic that is underrepresented in the parks.
Yea, well i'm sure that Italian and Arab Americans would be thrilled with that. You should propose it.
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We already find normal life to be adventurous enough without a Grizzly Bear or Wild Boar on our trail.
