The NAACP condemned the Trump administration Monday for eliminating holidays celebrating Black Americans from a list of free entry days at national parks.
The Trump administration removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth — a holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved black Americans — from the days in 2026 when U.S. residents can enter any national park for free.
The Interior Department added President Donald Trump’s birthday, which coincides with the nonfederal holiday Flag Day, as a fee-free day for next year, as well as Constitution Day in September and the birthday of former President Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt is a favorite historical figure of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
“Removing MLK Day and Juneteenth from the national parks calendar is more than petty politics — it’s an attack on the truth of this nation’s history,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO, in a statement. “It’s an attempt to erase the legacy of Dr. King, minimize the story of emancipation, and sideline the communities that have fought for generations to make America live up to its promise.”
