Social movements in national and state parks refer to the ways in which various social and political movements have influenced the development and management of national and state parks. The National Park Service (NPS) and state park agencies have a mission to preserve, protect, and interpret these resources, and the social movements have played an important role in shaping the management of national and state parks.
Many national and state parks have been established as a result of social movements, such as the conservation movement, which led to the creation of many of the first national parks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Additionally, social movements such as the civil rights movement, have influenced the development of national and state parks. For example, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, led to changes in the policies and practices of the National Park Service, making it more inclusive and representative of all Americans.
Additionally, many national and state parks have been sites of social and political activism and protests. For example, the civil rights movement and the American Indian Movement both held protests and events in national parks, such as the 1969 Alcatraz Occupation, where a group of American Indians occupied the island of Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay for 19 months, protesting the treatment of American Indians by the U.S. government.
The NPS and state park agencies have a responsibility to preserve and interpret these resources, and to provide opportunities for visitors to learn about and experience the role of social movements in shaping the development and management of national and state parks. This can include ranger-led tours, educational programs, and interpretive exhibits, which provide visitors with an understanding of the social and political context in which these parks were created and have been managed.
Overall, these movements have played an important role in shaping the development and management of national and state parks. Many national and state parks have been established as a result of social movements, such as the conservation movement and have been sites of social and political activism and protests. The NPS and state park agencies have a responsibility to preserve and interpret these resources, and to provide opportunities for visitors to learn about and experience the role of social movements in shaping the development and management of national and state parks.