Many of us are familiar with the traditional history of conservation and public lands in America. The narrative has centered around white men exploring, conquering, and later leading efforts to preserve and champion public lands across the country. It stars iconic leaders like John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, and Henry David Thoreau, advancing wilderness values and setting land aside for Americans’ enjoyment.
Yet we haven’t been telling the whole story, and there’s no universal American experience with public lands. As we examine the history of public lands in America, it’s important to incorporate underrepresented communities and weave in historical events that helped shape communities’ varied relationships to public lands. Then we can better reflect on the roles these communities played and those they were restricted from playing, and explore a more inclusive, honest look at American history. It’s important to look back on what was happening in the lives of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, indigenous people, women, non-Christians, and LGBTQ Americans throughout our shared history to celebrate their overlooked contributions and learn lessons from misguided exclusionary practices to build more equitable access to our public lands.
In that spirit, the Wilderness Society is excited to launch a more holistic U.S. public lands history curriculum. We hope that it will be used by outdoor, place-based, and environmental educators and guides who run programs on U.S. public lands, as well as managers of public lands, water, and wildlife.
Our public lands belong to all of us, and everyone should feel represented, welcomed, and valued when they visit.
Inequality, exploitation, and political exclusion have separated many communities from public lands and created barriers to access. In the curriculum, we incorporate painful histories, including the genocide of indigenous people, slavery of African Americans, removal from land of indigenous people and Mexicans, and relocation and internment of Asian Americans. These land-based exploitations tell the story of how power dynamics were built in America, separating racial and ethnic groups to value some lives over others. Continued prejudices still affect the safety of people of color on public lands today, so public lands don’t hold the same meaning for all communities.
For instance, take the Pacific Railway Act of 1862. Railroads were built predominantly by people of color through exploitative labor practices. Much of the land acquired to build the railway was seized from indigenous people. Railroads and the “See America First” campaign became essential in creating appreciation for public lands. We were establishing public support for public land preservation on the backs of African-American labor for the purpose of white enjoyment.
By telling only part of the story, we ignore the contributions of leaders like the Buffalo Soldiers, all-African-American Army regiments that patrolled parts of the West on horseback and bicycle as some of the first park rangers. Or Sacagawea, a Lemhi Shoshone woman who served as a guide and interpreter for Lewis and Clark. She traveled with her then-infant, helping negotiate passage over lands inhabited by various tribes and securing additional guides and horses for the party. She received no compensation for her services, but her French husband (who did not guide the expedition) received $500.
a public lands history curriculum that incorporates underrepresented communities
broadening the narrative
Hannah Malvin