African American heritage is an important part of the story of the United States, and it is represented in many national parks across the country. Many national parks have important sites and stories related to the African American experience, including sites associated with slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and the contributions of African Americans to American culture and history.
One example is the National Park of American Samoa which tells the story of the forced relocation of Samoan families during World War II and their experiences of working on American Samoa’s pineapple and tuna canneries.
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington, D.C. is another example, which tells the story of the abolitionist, author and orator Frederick Douglass, and his role in the fight for freedom and equality for African Americans in the 19th century.
The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama honors the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces, who served during World War II.
The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program, which is administered by the National Park Service, helps preserve and interpret the many sites associated with the Underground Railroad, which was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans to escape to freedom in the 19th century.
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument in Maryland, also tells the story of Harriet Tubman, an enslaved woman who escaped to freedom and became a leading abolitionist and conductor on the Underground Railroad.
These are just a few examples of the many national parks that tell the story of African American heritage and their contributions to American history and culture. The National Park Service continues to work to preserve and interpret these sites, and to share the stories of African Americans with visitors from around the world.
