Black People and National Parks

TheLastMohican

TheLastMohican

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Being in an almost entirely caucasian community, I am unfamiliar with any common black attitudes regarding national parks. Is there anything to this? Does it matter?
 
kinda like white people and sports isnt it? Up to the individual.
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Technically they are wrong. I saw lot's of African Americans in the DC mall and it is the largest National park in the US. I think it has more to do with the fact that they may not be used to the outdoors being from the city. I know plenty of whites who won't go into the woods.
 
Hmmm...(of course I'm going to give my two cents and weigh in)

I would say this: You are a product of your environment. Many urban families are just trying to make ends meet and there's no time (or money) to drive to a national park on the weekend. Or you live in an urban jungle where the closest park is smack dab in the middle of the city. The city is survival, sadly, and there aren't a lot of beautiful things to see in the city. You get used to seeing the big things that will hurt you rather than taking time out for the little things of beauty.

It's like this: You don't see a lot of Whites in the inner cities of Compton, either. Why is that?

If a parent takes the time to let their child see more than simply his or her environment, and if that parent has the time to do so (and isn't working hard to simply put food on the table and make sure everyone is safe) then you will have more folks of color going places they've (we've) never been.

Me, I love camping. My allergies hate it, but I love pitching a tent and sleeping outdoors. I love the beauty and quiet of nature. But then, I'm also an introvert. Some folks just don't like being around nature.
 
I could see a lot of potential reasons why fewer black people show up at national parks, but what confused me was the ranger's explanation that nature (soil?) reminds you of slavery and makes you want to avoid it. It seems that he was the only source for this though, so perhaps it can be disregarded as just another not-so-newsworthy news segment that was carelessly thrown together to coincide with one of the Obama family's vacations.
 
TheLastMohican said:
I could see a lot of potential reasons why fewer black people show up at national parks, but what confused me was the ranger's explanation that nature (soil?) reminds you of slavery and makes you want to avoid it. It seems that he was the only source for this though, so perhaps it can be disregarded as just another not-so-newsworthy news segment that was carelessly thrown together to coincide with one of the Obama family's vacations.
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Ye-eah, it sounds more like it's a personal opinion than fact. I can see the correlation in some respects but I don't think everyone holds to that belief. If you're constantly surrounded by people telling you that then it can become fact, though. Some may genuinely still have hurt feelings about it.

It's sort of like swimming.

In slave days, Blacks avoided water because it was often a place of death. Either you drowned trying to reach freedom, or the slave catchers/KKK would use water as a method of torture and death. So large bodies of water became a fear, and that fear passed down through generations of stories, both true and apocryphal. So many African Americans are afraid of water and don't take up swimming.

But those fears can be broken, and those stories changed. It all depends on who's willing to break the chain.
 
It costs a ton of money to go visit national parks, like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, etc.

Minority groups tend to be socio-economically disadvantaged (all except Asians are), and as a result, it is less likely that they'll be able to travel to parks.

Even if they aren't socio-economically disadvantaged, it is likely that their parents or grandparents were, and going to national parks is something that is passed down through generations.
 
arbygil said:
It's like this: You don't see a lot of Whites in the inner cities of Compton, either. Why is that?
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Mostly, because I'm in Australia, but if I were in LA, and wearing a gas mask for the smog, but also because I hear rap songs that say they'd shoot honkeys in compton. I don't wanna get shot.

arbygil said:
In slave days, Blacks avoided water because it was often a place of death. Either you drowned trying to reach freedom, or the slave catchers/KKK would use water as a method of torture and death. So large bodies of water became a fear, and that fear passed down through generations of stories, both true and apocryphal. So many African Americans are afraid of water and don't take up swimming.
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Wha? Really? Wow that's retarded.

Really really?

Because when I watched seasame st as a kid there were little black girls and boys playing in the fountain with the other kids...
 
Dragon said:
It costs a ton of money to go visit national parks, like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, etc.

Minority groups tend to be socio-economically disadvantaged (all except Asians are), and as a result, it is less likely that they'll be able to travel to parks.

Even if they aren't socio-economically disadvantaged, it is likely that their parents or grandparents were, and going to national parks is something that is passed down through generations.
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My family were socio-economically disadvantaged too, My first memories are of trailer parks, and then a council flat. We still went to every single national park within Queensland.

Anyway, when I first saw this thread my opinion was simply that there are so few parks in America, that to get there you'd need thousands of dollars, time off. Also, most peoples seem to stay in their own towns.
 
I must be really clueless. I never knew that a lot of black people stayed away from National Parks and my best friend is black. We used to go swimming all the time and the only thing I ever hear her complain about is not wanting to get a tan or mess up her hair. Someone recently told me that black people didn't like sandals or the beach. *confused* because me and my friend were planning a beach trip. That really sucks that there are so many stereotypes out there and cultural boundaries people are afraid to cross. Good for him that he's found something he loves to do.
 
I think what Arby wass saying is it's a cultural influence, I doubt anyone is really concious of it, it's just an inclination, a subtlely different framing of the world, it has nothing to do with individuals.
 
I thought this article was going to be about black persons being the only people who go to national parks, or some inherent racism issue with park rangers, etc.

I don't actually understand the topic of this thread. :/
 
Quinlan said:
I think what Arby wass saying is it's a cultural influence, I doubt anyone is really concious of it, it's just an inclination, a subtlely different framing of the world, it has nothing to do with individuals.
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Agreed. There is no such thing as race, only culture. This is absolutely an issue of culture.

TheLastMohican said:
I just wanted to know if anyone else was aware of this phenomenon.
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Yes.

This is a cultural phenomenon. I live in the southern United States, and there are a lot of black people here, representing many different cultures. There are urban cultures, suburban cultures, church cultures, agricultural cultures, and yes ghetto cultures. All of these groups have different perspectives and behaviors.

This video is simply highlighting one man's opinion.

However, I do have to admit that most of the 'city' black people that I know have a serious aversion to wild animals. I have had to laugh at their comedic over reactions to mice, snakes, and the like. They literally trip out. However, my 'country' black friends will reach down and pick these animals up without any hesitation.

I think what is going on here is simple. Black people who live in the country tend to avoid vacationing in the country because they already have it. The black people who live in the city tend to come from cultures that simply have little interest in interacting with said critters.

There are of course exceptions to all of these statements because cultures don't dictate individuals, and race certainly doesn't dictate culture.
 
No, not really.
A better topic to discuss is Fred, the only black person in Utah. He gets talked about a lot here. Or Ying, the only asian person in Utah.
 
Shai Gar said:
Anyway, when I first saw this thread my opinion was simply that there are so few parks in America, that to get there you'd need thousands of dollars, time off. Also, most peoples seem to stay in their own towns.
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That is right. You do need thousands of dollars and time off. Well, you can cut costs by camping out and eating oatmeal with water, but you still need time off and to pay for gas. Even then, you have to buy the camping supplies.
 
the thousands means, paying continuing costs such as rent while you're away, petrol for the trip, services for the car, camping equipment maintenance, perishables for the journey, butane for the gas can, national park camping fees... they all add up.
 
The Utah parks are only an hour or so drive from where I live....

it isn't that expensive either.
 
Von Hase said:
Agreed. There is no such thing as race, only culture. This is absolutely an issue of culture.



Yes.

This is a cultural phenomenon. I live in the southern United States, and there are a lot of black people here, representing many different cultures. There are urban cultures, suburban cultures, church cultures, agricultural cultures, and yes ghetto cultures. All of these groups have different perspectives and behaviors.

This video is simply highlighting one man's opinion.

However, I do have to admit that most of the 'city' black people that I know have a serious aversion to wild animals. I have had to laugh at their comedic over reactions to mice, snakes, and the like. They literally trip out. However, my 'country' black friends will reach down and pick these animals up without any hesitation.

I think what is going on here is simple. Black people who live in the country tend to avoid vacationing in the country because they already have it. The black people who live in the city tend to come from cultures that simply have little interest in interacting with said critters.

There are of course exceptions to all of these statements because cultures don't dictate individuals, and race certainly doesn't dictate culture.
Click to expand...



Very true. On my last visit to a park in Florida, a few friends and I decided to go canoeing and got lost in a swamp full of massive gators. My very dear black friend was losing his mind and we were all in complete hysterics. Incidentally, we were rescued by a ferryboat (a ferryboat!!) and two very heroic black country folk. It truly does depend on the culture.
 
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