What's happened
The U.S. Interior Department has revised its list of free entrance days for national parks in 2026, removing Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, and adding President Trump's birthday on June 14. The move has sparked criticism over the omission of civil rights holidays and increased fees for international visitors.
What's behind the headline?
The shift in free park days reflects a deliberate move to emphasize patriotic holidays over civil rights commemorations. This decision appears to serve political motives, aligning with the administration's broader agenda to diminish the recognition of Black history and civil rights victories. The exclusion of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, both significant for racial justice, signals an attempt to reshape national narratives around patriotism and history. The increased fees for international visitors further suggest a focus on prioritizing American taxpayers' access while raising revenue from nonresidents. This policy will likely deepen divisions over how history is commemorated and could diminish public engagement with civil rights history at national parks. The criticism from civil rights leaders and lawmakers indicates a potential political backlash, but the administration seems intent on consolidating its ideological stance.
What the papers say
The New York Times reports that the changes reflect the administration's commitment to making parks more accessible and affordable for Americans, but critics argue it undermines Black history and civil rights recognition. Sky News highlights the removal of Juneteenth and MLK Day, emphasizing the political motives behind the decision, with some officials framing it as prioritizing American taxpayers. The Independent and AP News both describe the move as part of a broader pattern of downplaying civil rights history, with notable opposition from civil rights leaders like Cornell William Brooks, who called the policy 'rank racism.' The articles contrast the administration's claims of patriotism with the criticism that these changes erase important aspects of American history, raising questions about the political and cultural implications of the policy shift.
How we got here
The changes follow a broader effort by the Trump administration to alter how national parks recognize American history, including increased fees for nonresidents and a focus on patriotic holidays. The removal of civil rights holidays aligns with previous actions by the administration to downplay America's racial history.
Go deeper
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Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
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The National Park Service is an agency of the Federal government of the United States that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations.
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Juneteenth – also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day – is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.
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Cornell William Brooks is an American lawyer and activist. He was chosen to be the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in May 2014.