We are enriched by our openness to learning, gaining new experiences and the transformation that results from growth in perspective. At its core, this is the “diversity training:” encouraging people to move beyond what is familiar and develop a keen sense of empathy for the experiences of others.
Advocacy for diversity and inclusion is deeply embedded in my personal life: I am always seeking ways to advance my knowledge – and more importantly – my understanding of the world at large.
An avid hiker and photographer, I find peace and solace in wild places. In 2010, I set a personal goal to hike and explore 50 of the 59 (then only 58) national parks. Thus far, I’ve visited 33 parks: 32 in the lower 48, and one in Alaska (Kenai Fjords). Meanwhile, I’ve also visited numerous national monuments and national historical parks that are part of the 417-unit National Park System. I’ve supported advocacy efforts to protect public lands through cultural and natural resource management through social campaigns and direct action.
I acknowledge that the National Park System – and the environmental conservation and justice systems in general – can benefit from dedicated and concerted efforts at reaching diverse communities. When visiting NPS units, I am encouraged by efforts to equally highlight narratives of indigenous and other communities of color, and their contributions and impact on the land. This is why attending the “Historic Tour” at Mammoth Cave National Park led by Ranger Jerry Bransford, was one of the best guided tours ever. Located in southcentral Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is the longest cave in the world, with more than 400 miles of mapped routes.
Mr. Bransford is the fifth-generation descendant of Mat Bransford, a mixed race homesteader who was one of the first to offer accommodations to visitors of Mammoth Caves. In his two-hour tour of the history of Mammoth Cave, Ranger Jerry emphasized the significant contributions of Black Americans to the state of Kentucky and beyond.
A native of Kentucky, Ranger Jerry spent time in private industry for most of his life until he heeded the call of his ancestors by devoting his life to researching the area’s African American history. The cave tour took us to one of the sites of the saltpeter mines, which were important for gunpowder production for the U.S. army during the War of 1812.
“Free white men didn’t want to work in the mines, so 70 Black slaves were brought down here to work,” Ranger Jerry says. The men worked long back-breaking days – often in darkness – harvesting nutrient-rich dirt from various cave passages that were loaded on ox-carts and hauled onto vats for processing.
We also learned about Stephen Bishop, one of the earliest and most ardent explorers of Mammoth Cave. Born into bondage, he was a 15-year-old slave when he began to work as a guide and explorer. For almost two decades, Bishop discovered many formations, routes and passages, including the infamous “Bottomless Pit,” a canyon over 100 feet deep from the cave trail. He is also credited with discovering the eyeless fish that thrived in the cave.
Born a slave, Bishop attained freedom in his lifetime. But Mammoth Cave was where he truly belonged.
“He was the Prince of the Cave,” Ranger Jerry said. “Even with his emancipation papers, he was never fully accepted by white society. But here in the cave, free people looked up to him as a master caver.” At age 37, Mr. Bishop died an untimely death, cause unknown. Mr. Bishop remains in Mammoth Cave at the Old Guide's Cemetery.
I intend to follow up with Ranger Jerry to learn more about his research on Black history in Mammoth Cave. Meanwhile, Ranger Jerry shares more about the history of Mammoth Cave in the videos below.
Advocacy for diversity and inclusion is deeply embedded in my personal life: I am always seeking ways to advance my knowledge – and more importantly – my understanding of the world at large.
An avid hiker and photographer, I find peace and solace in wild places. In 2010, I set a personal goal to hike and explore 50 of the 59 (then only 58) national parks. Thus far, I’ve visited 33 parks: 32 in the lower 48, and one in Alaska (Kenai Fjords). Meanwhile, I’ve also visited numerous national monuments and national historical parks that are part of the 417-unit National Park System. I’ve supported advocacy efforts to protect public lands through cultural and natural resource management through social campaigns and direct action.
I acknowledge that the National Park System – and the environmental conservation and justice systems in general – can benefit from dedicated and concerted efforts at reaching diverse communities. When visiting NPS units, I am encouraged by efforts to equally highlight narratives of indigenous and other communities of color, and their contributions and impact on the land. This is why attending the “Historic Tour” at Mammoth Cave National Park led by Ranger Jerry Bransford, was one of the best guided tours ever. Located in southcentral Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is the longest cave in the world, with more than 400 miles of mapped routes.
Mr. Bransford is the fifth-generation descendant of Mat Bransford, a mixed race homesteader who was one of the first to offer accommodations to visitors of Mammoth Caves. In his two-hour tour of the history of Mammoth Cave, Ranger Jerry emphasized the significant contributions of Black Americans to the state of Kentucky and beyond.
A native of Kentucky, Ranger Jerry spent time in private industry for most of his life until he heeded the call of his ancestors by devoting his life to researching the area’s African American history. The cave tour took us to one of the sites of the saltpeter mines, which were important for gunpowder production for the U.S. army during the War of 1812.
“Free white men didn’t want to work in the mines, so 70 Black slaves were brought down here to work,” Ranger Jerry says. The men worked long back-breaking days – often in darkness – harvesting nutrient-rich dirt from various cave passages that were loaded on ox-carts and hauled onto vats for processing.
We also learned about Stephen Bishop, one of the earliest and most ardent explorers of Mammoth Cave. Born into bondage, he was a 15-year-old slave when he began to work as a guide and explorer. For almost two decades, Bishop discovered many formations, routes and passages, including the infamous “Bottomless Pit,” a canyon over 100 feet deep from the cave trail. He is also credited with discovering the eyeless fish that thrived in the cave.
Born a slave, Bishop attained freedom in his lifetime. But Mammoth Cave was where he truly belonged.
“He was the Prince of the Cave,” Ranger Jerry said. “Even with his emancipation papers, he was never fully accepted by white society. But here in the cave, free people looked up to him as a master caver.” At age 37, Mr. Bishop died an untimely death, cause unknown. Mr. Bishop remains in Mammoth Cave at the Old Guide's Cemetery.
I intend to follow up with Ranger Jerry to learn more about his research on Black history in Mammoth Cave. Meanwhile, Ranger Jerry shares more about the history of Mammoth Cave in the videos below.