Caucus of African American Leaders & ACLU of Maryland Statement on Removal of MLK Day and Juneteenth from the National Park Services Free Entry

Baltimore, MD - The decision to remove Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the National Park Service’s fee-free days is more than an administrative change, it is a step backward for civil rights and racial equity.

These dates honor two of the most consequential moments in American history: the ongoing struggle for civil rights and the emancipation of enslaved people. They are days when families, students, and communities gather in our public spaces to learn, reflect, volunteer, and confront the parts of our history that shape our present. Making these commemorative days less accessible diminishes the very stories our nation has pledged never to forget.

Replacing them with other observances raises deep concern that this shift is political rather than principled. Our national parks belong to the public, and their policies should reflect the full story of America, not just the chapters that align with a particular agenda.

This change follows a troubling pattern we see nationwide: rollbacks of hard-won civil rights protections and attempts to sideline or sanitize the history of Black Americans. Whether in school curricula, public policy, or access to shared spaces, efforts to diminish or erase Black history undermine the values of equity, justice, and freedom that our country claims to uphold.

The Caucus of African American Leaders and the ACLU of Maryland stand firmly with the communities who recognize what is at stake. We call for a restoration of fee-free access on MLK Day and Juneteenth and for federal policies that honor civil rights history, expand public access, and advance racial equity rather than restrict it.

In moments like this, clear and collective leadership matters. We will continue to challenge policies that silence history, restrict access, or weaken the civil rights and civil liberties of Marylanders and all people across this nation.