Summer in the Parks: A History of Community-Centered Programming at National Parks

Washington, D.C. witnessed many watershed events throughout the history of the United States of America. One of these events, Summer in the Parks, was organized by the National Park Service to engage youth and racial minorities from 1968 to 1976. Our research sought to understand 1) the history of the initiative, 2) if and how this event is interpreted today, and 3) Park Service professionals’ perspectives of lessons can be learned from the Summer in the Parks regarding engaging underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. In-depth interviews using an interpretive phenomenological analysis with five professionals were conducted and paired with narratives from participants who were attendees of the historic program. Findings demonstrate limited existing interpretation of Summer in the Parks which mainly occurs through community partnerships. Respondents highlighted the importance of continuing the legacy of initiative, whether through programming, interpretation, or some combination of both.