BringingBlack History to Life in the Great

Outdoors

Photographs by ChanellStone and text by James Edward MillsThis is a PDF version of the Times article"Bringing Black History to Life in the GreatOutdoors" published on Sept. 17,2021 and featured in this Lesson of the Day from The Learning Network .

An inscription above the Roosevelt Arch inYellowstone National Park reads: "For the

benefit and enjoyment of the people .

Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service hasworked

to tell the story of the American outdoors . Among its stewards

are Black Americans who ensure that all “ the people” are

included in the telling of a sometimes difficult history .

By sharing these stories, these park rangers help define why our

nationalparks were once described by the naturalist Wallace

Stegneras “ the best idea America ever had."

Born and raised in Detroit, Shelton Johnson,

63, has served as a ranger for 35 years . Hehas been stationed at Yosemite National

Park since 1993.

One of Mr. Johnson's duties is to relay the

story of the “Buffalo Soldiers Black U.S.

Cavalry men who protected Yosemite atthe turn of the 20th century.

The BuffaloSoldiersbuilt roads, fought forest fires, arrested poachersand

enforcedstandardsofgood behavioramongthe park's mostly white visitors.

But when the National Park Service was formally established in 1916, those

same Buffalo Soldiers were barredfrom returning as park protectors in civilian

life.

As one of the few permanently stationed Black rangers in Yosemite today , Mr.

Johnson evokes the memory of those old guardians.

"When we tell the stories of our ancestors ,

those relations hear our voices as if they

were the echo of their own, and they live

again through us," he said.

“ A storyteller is a healer and a good story

has always been good medicine,”Mr.

Johnson said. “ The right story at the righttime can heal the world ."

Victoria Smalls , 51, is the executive directorof the Gullah Geechee Cultural HeritageCorridor in the Lowcountry of South Carolina .

On remote Lowcountry plantations ,

enslaved people known as the Gullahcreated a community based on central andwestern African traditions and a creole

language called Geechee.

The McLeod Plantation participated in chattel slavery and was known as a"breeder plantation ."

Duringthe Civil War, the plantation was captured and occupied by the 55th

Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment which consisted of Black Union troops.

When the Union Army came and emancipated the people Ms. Smalls's

ancestors were to buy land. Her family still owns 20 acres.

One of Ms. Smalls's ancestors was the Civil War

hero Smalls , who later served five terms

in Congress

ROBERT

FORTHE

A formerly enslaved man who bought his

freedom, Robert Smalls went on to his

enslaver's home, pictured here, in which he

was born

He also boughtthe neighboringblock.

The Harriet Tubman Memorial Bridge in

the Lowcountry stretches across the

Combahee River , commemorating

Tubman's role in the Combahee River Raid ,

in which more than 700 enslaved peoplewere rescued.

Olivia Williams , 28 , joined theReconstruction Era NationalHistorical

Park as a ranger in 2021. She is carryingforward the storytelling tradition, taking

over a position formerly held by Ms. Smalls.

“ There isn't an overflow of young people,especially young people of color, in the publichistory field, Williams said. “ I take it

personally to make sure stories, especiallylesser-known histories, stay in the rotation for

many generations to come.

Ms. Williams's hand rests against the wall of the

Brick Baptist Church on St. Helena Island. In 1862,

the church became a school for freed slaves.

Parts of the church were built by enslaved children.

Their impressed fingerprints are visible , set deepinto the brick

These Lowcountry marshlands near

Charleston , S.C., were once home to rice

fields cultivated by enslaved WestAfricans

Jerry Bransford is a fifth-generation caveguide at Mammoth Cave National Park in

Kentucky

Mammoth Cave is one of America's oldest

tourist attractions. This intricate labyrinth

encompasses more than 400 miles of

underground caverns.

Generations ago, with only kerosene

lanterns to light their way , members of the

Bransford family led tours for visitors fromaround the world .

“Myancestors guided the finest people, kings and queens of Europe, Mr. Bransford said .

“ They even led Ralph Waldo Emerson ,who came and wrote about the cave and made itfamous."

Butwhen MammothCavewas designatedas the 26th NationalParkon July 1, 1941, Mr.

Bransford'sfamily, alongwith all other residents, were forced off the surroundingland.

Though he is a direct descendantof Matersonand Nick Bransford, who led tours of the cave

in the 1840s, Mr. Bransford recallsbeingtold as a young Black manto use the rear entranceof the Visitor Center.

Today, at the age of 74, Mr. Bransford has

served for 17 seasons as a guide at MammothCave.

" It is so important that we preserve the stories

of my ancestors for future generations, he said .

Inside the Snowball Roomat Mammoth Cave, a

cavern located 267 feet underground, reads an

inscription: “ Nick the guide.

a tribute to Nicholas Bransford, an enslaved

man leased to the owner of the cave in 1838. It

was written on Aug. 17, 1857.

Kelli English, 46, is the chief of

interpretation at four National Park Service

locations in the San Francisco Bay Area,

including the John Muir National HistoricSite

John Muir, considered by manyto be the father ofthe National Parks, expressed in hiswritings many

racist views regardingpeopleof color.

Today, the preservation of Muir's legacy at hishistoric home in Martinez, Calif., is overseen by Ms.

English, a Black woman born in Chicago.

For those of us who understand this history , it's not surprising that Muir would use racist

language , Ms. English said , especially when he's writing to this privileged , white upper -classaudience ."

Through her deep understanding of the history at these sites , Ms. English puts the events

and ideas of the past into contemporary context and continues the mission of telling

stories that include the lived experience of every American .

“ hopeful that we can inspire more people to help this agency to truly live up to its ideals ,

she said .

This year, Ms. English celebrates her 20th

year with the National Park Service. “ It's

going to take courage to expose thehistory of the Park Service itself and its

discriminatory past,” she said.

“ To be in this agency at a time when we are

starting to deal with some of that is, quite

frankly , exciting.

NATIONALPARK

SERVICE

All photographsby Chanell StoneforThe NewYork Times

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