You are here

Tune In To Black History Month Panel Discussion With Yosemite National Park Ranger Shelton Johnson

Share

A panel discussion on the history of Buffalo Soldiers and their role in the early days of the National Park System will be carried on the Internet on Wednesday from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Mountain, 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Eastern, 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Central, and noon-1 p.m. Pacific.

Among the panelists will be Shelton Johnson, a Yosemite National Park ranger who long has portrayed a Buffalo Soldier in interpretive programs in the park, wrote a fictional book on Buffalo Soldiers, and who played a central role in the Ken Burns-Dayton Duncan documentary on the national parks, America's Best Idea.

Also on the panel will be Brian Shellum, who wrote a biography on Colonel Charles Young, an African-American soldier who in 1903 was appointed acting superintendent for Sequoia and General Grand national parks in California.

The panel discussion, sponsored by the National Parks Conservation Association and available on Google+, will revolve on efforts around the country to commemorate the legacy of America’s post-Civil War black troops, the Buffalo Soldiers. There is also interest in honoring one of the men who helped lead the Buffalo Soldiers, Colonel Charles Young.

For the many soldiers who served in these segregated American Army units, their work was a pathway towards citizenship and self-sufficiency. The complex history of these men and their role as the original national park guardians confirms that the African American experience is indeed alive in our national parks, and well-deserved of enhanced attention.

Once the "Hangout" starts, the event will stream from this site. In order to ask questions in the Hangout, you'll need a Google+ account. However, the folks at NPCA will also be accepting questions via their Twitter and Facebook pages for those who don't have a Google+ account.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.