America’s Collective History

As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States this July, the nation’s parks and green spaces will take center stage. They’ll host outdoor concerts, parades, fireworks, and jamborees, connecting people to the great outdoors and to each other while they pay homage to what many consider to be the world’s oldest continuous democracy.

Naturally, American history will loom large during this semiquincentennial year: the Revolutionary War that gave rise to these United States, of course, but also the generations of people, movements, innovations, conflicts, and acts of courage that have shaped the nation since. America’s story includes moments of extraordinary achievement and chapters of profound injustice, cultural milestones and scientific breakthroughs, struggles for freedom and equality, and our ongoing effort to build a more perfect union.

Telling that complete and inclusive story of America—including through our national parks and historic sites—strengthens our public memory and national identity.

Americans across geographies and political affiliations agree. They’re unequivocal in their desire to see the full arc of the nation’s history on display in their public parks and historic sites.

New polling commissioned by Trust for Public Land (TPL) and conducted by YouGov found that:

• 88 percent of Americans—including the vast majority of Republican and Democratic voters— agree it’s important to preserve historical and cultural landmarks in outdoor spaces that tell the full American story, even and especially the difficult chapters, such as slavery and the mistreatment of Native Americans.
• 85 percent agree that national parks, public lands, and natural landscapes are something they are proud of about the United States today.
• 83 percent agree that outdoor public spaces are among the most important elements of their communities’ identity.
• 75 percent say they want parks and public spaces to do more to reflect shared history and culture through signage, programming, and interpretation.

“At a moment when our country faces division, parks and public lands remain a unifying force—places where communities come together, history is remembered, and our shared story is made tangible,” said Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, the president and CEO of TPL. “As we reflect on America’s 250th anniversary, these spaces remind us of who we are and who we can become.”

Particularly at a time when foundational parts of our nation’s history are being targeted for erasure, we must safeguard landmarks and the milestones that hold our ever-growing story of America.

Trust for Public Land is proud to have helped protect and preserve many such sites over the past 50 years, including a few described below that demonstrate two things: the power of place in producing an honest accounting of the nation’s triumphs and failures and what we stand to lose if we discontinue or diminish our tradition of conservation. The Organization of American Historians recently put it this way: “Historical knowledge is a shared civic resource and a bedrock of accountability.”

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