Caucus of African American Leaders and ACLU of Maryland Condemn Removal of MLK Day and Juneteenth from National Park Service Free Entry

The Caucus of African American Leaders and the ACLU of Maryland issued a joint statement today expressing strong opposition to the National Park Service’s recent decision to remove Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from its list of fee-free days.

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According to the organizations, these commemorative dates honor pivotal moments in American history: the ongoing struggle for civil rights and the emancipation of enslaved people. They note that MLK Day and Juneteenth are occasions when families, students, and communities gather at public spaces to learn, reflect, volunteer, and confront the parts of history that continue to shape the present.

“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,” the statement reads.

The groups voiced concern that replacing these days with other observances may reflect political motivations rather than principled policy. They emphasized that national parks belong to the public and that their policies should reflect the full story of America, rather than only 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,” the statement continues. “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 are calling for the 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.

“In moments like this, clear and collective leadership matters,” the statement concludes. “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.”