National Parks Free on Trump's Birthday, but Not on Black Holidays

The Trump administration has changed national park admission policies, eliminating free entry on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, while introducing complimentary access on President Trumps birthday. Visitors will now pay fees ranging from $3 to $30 on holidays that honor Black American history, whereas June 14, Trumps birthday, will allow free admission.

According to reports from SFGATE, this adjustment reflects a broader pattern of Trumps approach to federal cultural symbols, often targeting acknowledgments of Black history and other minority groups. The National Park Service has become a notable site for these actions.

During his second term, Trump directed the removal of historical markers and exhibits related to American slavery. This included the 1863 portrait of a former enslaved man, known as Peter or Gordon, which displayed his whip scars. An executive order mandated that the Interior Department remove content that might be seen as promoting corrosive ideology, affecting information on race, LGBTQ rights, and gender equality.

Specific changes included taking down Harriet Tubmans image from the National Park Service page on the Underground Railroad, altering references from enslaved African Americans to enslaved workers, and deleting mentions of Benjamin Franklins ownership of slaves. Critics view these actions as self-serving, using the holiday schedule and historical narrative to emphasize Trump personally while diminishing recognition of MLK Day and Juneteenth.

Author: Ethan Caldwell