February 2025
Posted by Penny Musco onPark News
February is Black History Month, so let me mention two national park sites in the news recently.
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama honors the “Red Tails,” African American military pilots trained on Army aircraft during World War II. Their nickname alluded to the planes’ distinctive stripe.
But first these Black men had to prove to the Army Air Corps (the forerunner of the US Air Force) they had the mental and physical abilities to fly and courage to fight in a war. Funny how Whites didn’t have to undergo this scrutiny…
The Airmen were not only pilots, but also served in support roles—radio operators, bombardiers, navigators, control tower operators, mechanics, plus those who served as cooks, quartermasters, etc. Women too—they worked alongside the males in many of those jobs, as well as in the office. Three female parachute riggers instructed cadets how to pack and maintain the parachutes.
Today at the park, you can tour two remaining hangars, full of information and artifacts to learn more about the “Tuskegee Experience,” view two videos, and see a full-sized replica of a red tail P-51 Mustang.
Best of all, it’s free!
So why has this been in the news? As you might know, President Trump wants to do away with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in the federal government. One new measure he implemented was a call for “ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.” In response, the Air Force removed training courses featuring the Tuskegee Airmen, as well as the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs (women who ferried planes from factory to bases during WWII and served as test pilots, among other duties; the WASP group was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010).
A day later, newly sworn in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the public outcry about the decision, tweeting that decision was reversed. The Air Force said it had “revised” the material.
Then there’s the Doomsday Clock. This is a symbolic assessment of how close humanity is to extinction, due to nuclear weapons, climate change, etc. This estimation is issued every year since 1947 by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, and as of January 28, they’ve moved the “clock” one minute closer to midnight, or doomsday, from 90 seconds to 89.
And just how does this fit into the national parks? I’m glad you asked. The first prediction came from scientists from the Manhattan Project, the ones who built the atomic bombs dropped on Japan to end WWII. “They were worried the public wasn’t really aware of how close we were to the end of life as we knew it,” Rachel Bronson, Current president and CEO of the Bulletin, told USA Today. “It gave the sense that if we did nothing, it would tick on toward midnight, and we could experience the apocalypse.” Martyl Langsdorf, wife of one of Manhattan Project physicist Alexander Langsdorf Jr., came up with the idea of using a clock to represent the threat.
The Manhattan Project National Historical Park has three locations in the National Park Service:
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In what came to be known as The Secret City, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, served as the Project’s headquarters,
and where uranium was enriched. The town’s Children’s Museum hosts the park’s Visitor Center, and there are several sites to explore on your own, but a bus tour takes you to primary spots
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The Hanford, Washington site offers free tours from March through October of its B Reactor, the world’s first full-scale plutonium production facility
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Los Alamos, New Mexico is where atomic weapons were designed and built. The Visitor Center is open to all, and the city itself has related museums, but the actual locale can only be seen through a behind-the-fence tour, scheduled twice a year. You also must enter a lottery to participate
All these tours are run by the US Department of Energy, meaning security is strict, proof of citizenship and/or photo I.D. is required, and personal items such as phones, cameras, and recording devises are sometimes prohibited.
More Black History
I’ve written a few articles about other Black History sites, both in the Park Service and elsewhere:
Doomsday?
Not for the believer in Jesus, now and when He comes again. Everything written in Scripture points to this one truth: He brings peace while we live, even in the midst of trouble or distress, because He has overcome, and gives us the ability to overcome as well (John 16:33; Romans 12:21; 1 John 2:13-14, 4:4, 5:4-5; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26, 3:5, 12).
No, Great Day!
“[T]here will be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations…[People’s] hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth…And then they will see the Son of Man [Jesus] coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near (Luke 21:25-28).