When President Barack Obama designated the Bears Ears National Monument, I heralded his action as helping to “preserve an important part of our shared human legacy for all time.”
I was also excited when he used his authority under the Antiquities Act to further honor our collective history by permanently protecting three sites that recognize the struggles of black Americans in the South.
In the last 10 years, archaeologists and historians have uncovered new clues about how important the marshy coastal lowlands of the Carolinas were to African Americans who escaped from slavery.
After the Civil War, many freed blacks remained in the Carolinas. President Obama’s dedication of the Reconstruction Era National Monument serves as a cornerstone for preserving the history of the Gullah people, who are descendants of West African slaves.
Alabama will gain two new monuments, both of which pay tribute to the Civil Rights movement. The new Freedom Riders National Monument in Anniston will provide a place for reflection and public education about brave individuals who challenged interstate bus segregation. The new Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument includes the A.G. Gaston Motel, where in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made the decision to go to jail to show support for local civil rights protesters.
Commemorating these civil rights sites demonstrates how our protected public places can and must reflect the diversity of America itself. Protecting places that represent the stories of all Americans is a time-honored use of the Antiquities Act.
While in office, Obama facilitated greater understanding among all Americans about our diverse culture by protecting symbols of turning points in our history. From the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad to Cesar E. Chavez’s home, Obama honored historical events and took steps such as issuing a new presidential memorandum to guide federal agency engagement with diverse communities. Children of all backgrounds will be inspired to make a difference at home, and on behalf of our shared heritage.
The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center was grateful when Obama protected places that honor Native American culture. Here in Colorado, Chimney Rock National Monument, conserved in 2012, contains stone masonry styles that link it to the Chaco culture, an Ancestral Pueblo society that flourished between A.D. 850 and 1150.
Established last month, Bears Ears National Monument in Utah encompasses lands sacred to many tribes, as well as ice-age hunting camps and later cliff dwellings and artifacts heretofore vulnerable to looting and vandalism.
New Mexico’s Río Grande del Norte National Monument protected prehistoric petroglyphs. Also in New Mexico, the 2014 Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument honors past and current use of these lands by native people.
Preservation of our nation’s cultural history may soon reside in the hands of Secretary of the Interior nominee Ryan Zinke. We are eagerly listening during the confirmation process for his affirmation of a commitment to maintain the Antiquities Act and uphold these national monument designations.
As Crow Canyon Trustee and former Cochiti Pueblo Governor Dr. Joseph Suina explained following protection of Bears Ears National Monument, these lands “give us windows into the past.” We encourage Rep. Zinke to keep those windows open by embracing the Antiquities Act.
Deborah Gangloff, Ph.D., is President and CEO of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Cortez. Reach her at dgangloff@crowcanyon.org.
