While many people associate the National Park Service with scenic natural landscapes, that’s only part of the federal agency’s job. They’re also tasked with preserving and telling the history of the United States from all angles. Across the national park system, many park units preserve stories that are worth taking a moment to better understand during Black History Month.
Most of these parks enshrine the legacy of household names like Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Jr. Others preserve more obscure elements of black American history. Here are a few less-obvious national parks worth visiting in person or online during Black History Month.
Nicodemus National Historic Site
Though freed from slavery after the American Civil War, African Americans had very little economic opportunity in the South in the years that followed. Like many Americans, some blacks looked west towards free land and free living. These pioneers were called “Exodusters,” a portmanteau evoking both their release from slavery and the “promised land” of the Great Plains.
Nicodemus National Historic Site preserves the only remaining western town established by African Americans during the Reconstruction Era. The town was founded in Western Kansas in 1887, a state with a long abolitionist history even before the Civil War. Towns like Nicodemus symbolized hope and opportunity for formerly enslaved African Americans seeking a fresh start after years of bondage.
At its peak, 700 residents lived in Nicodemus. The town began to decline after it failed to secure a direct railroad connection. Today, Nicodemus is home to descendants of some of the original setters. They help preserve the historic structures of the town and keep its story alive.
This part of American history If you can’t travel to western Kansas, the National Park Service has a robust set of online resources, including community interviews and oral histories.
Charles Young Buffalo Soldier National Monument
While the town of Nicodemus preserves an important aspect of the Reconstruction Period, Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument protects a legacy that is personal to our national parks.
The Buffalo Soldiers served in a handful of all-black regiments stationed throughout the American West. Prior to the establishment of the National Park Service, Yellowstone and other early parks were run by the U.S. Army. On several occasions, regiments of Buffalo Soldiers were assigned to National Park duty, doing everything from chasing poachers to fighting fires.
Outside of their own national monument in Ohio, Sequoia National Park displays their legacy the best. Led by the first black superintendent of any national park, Charles Young, the Buffalo Soldiers constructed new roads and trails—including on Mt. Whitney. A giant sequoia was named after Charles Young in 2004, sealing his legacy as a national park icon.
In recent years, the NPS has taken significant steps to preserve the foundational history of the Buffalo Soldiers. In 2019 they completed a study that found “the history of the Buffalo Soldiers in the national parks is a universal story that transcends cultural boundaries and offers a more complete understanding of US military history and the development of our national park system.”
The Park Service has compiled an online hub where you can learn more.
Maggie L. Walker National Historical Park
Under President Jimmy Carter, many historic sites—including the home of Martin Luther King, Jr.,—were added to the national park system. One of the parks added commemorates Maggie L. Walker, an obscure but significant trailblazer in the Jim Crow south.
In an era when black upward mobility was extremely difficult, Maggie L. Walker pioneered a path for others to follow. She began her career as a teacher in Richmond, Virginia. The law required her to quit her job when she was married, but did not prevent her from membership in the Independent Order of St. Luke. By 1899, she led the fraternal order, which undertook community work to aid the sick, elderly, and economically disadvantaged.
Her accomplishments with the Independent Order of St. Luke laid the groundwork for her legacy. Maggie Walker’s main focus was financial independence for African Americans. This led her to found the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, becoming the first woman of any race to charter a bank in the United States. By the 1920s, the Penny Savings Bank had multiple branches with thousands of members across Virginia.
Like Nicodemus NHS, the National Park Service has compiled resources to learn more about Maggie Walker and the park online, including a virtual tour of her home.
Compared to the Grand Canyon these park units are small, but they protect big histories. This month, take a moment to browse the online resources produced by the National Park Service. They’ll certainly leave you more aware of black contributions to our shared land and history—and maybe even a little inspired to do something great in your own community.
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