Black Outdoor Leadership Summit YMCA of the Rockies Toward the end of 2026, the Joy Trip Project was honored to host a small gathering of Black outdoor community leaders at the YMCA of Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. After a long and challenging year, each member of this cohort needed an…

Our sister National Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin has joined the ancestors to live eternally in our most cherished memories. She passed away on December 21, 2025 at the age of 104. She will be forever revered as an inspiration to the enduring legacy of our heritage as free nation. est in peace.

Give me a minute...did you know that the first American hero of World War II was a Black sailer named Doris Miller? Learn more on the Unhidden Minute Podcast

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Motivated by the murder of a Black child in Mississippi a few month earlier Parks decided to take action. “I thought Emmett Till and I couldn’t go back,” she later said.

If you enjoyed our most recent film review in Outside Magazine, you're going to love the latest episode of the Joy Trip Project podcast. Give a listen to audio formatted story on the new docu-series from Jordan Peele "High Horse: The Black Cowboy". https://wp.me/pgxHcZ-8GUU

The American Cowboy is Black: A Review of the Docuseries High Horse The story of this iconic figure is portrayed with unapologetic accuracy and authenticity to reveal an unassailable truth. The American cowboy is Black.

Parks Paid Forward: Annabell Stimmel The Joy Trip Project is excited to announce the latest recipient of the Parks Paid Forward National Park Pass. Congratulations to Annabell Stimmel!

Did you know that an advanced scout of the ill-fated Coronado Expedition of 1536 was an enslaved man named Estebanico?  He explored the Colorado Plateau and what is now Coronado National Monument in Arizona. Learn more on the Unhidden Minute podcast https://jamesedwardmills.substack.com/p/estebanico

For the Love of the Parks ~ A Discussion on Preservation At the Outside Festival James Edward Mills of the Joy Trip Projects spoke with three National Park Service leaders, Sally Jewell, David Vela and Chuck Sams

Did you know that the only all-Black unit to take part in the D-Day invasion of France during World War II were members of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion? Learn more on the Unhidden Minute Podcast https://jamesedwardmills.substack.com/p/the-320th-barrage-balloon-battalion

Did you know that the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 included an enslaved Black American man named York? His skills as an outdoorsman made him a pivotal feature in the Corps of Discovery. Learn more on the Unhidden Minute

Did you know that during the Civil War Harriet Tubman was the first woman in U.S. History to lead a military operation? Learn more on the Unhidden Minute Podcast https://jamesedwardmills.substack.com/p/general-harriet-tubman

Do you know about the Black Panther Party? It was a revolutionary organization founded in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, California. Born out of the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Panthers aimed to combat racial injustice, police brutality, and systemic oppression .

Did you know Huey P. Newton was the co-founder of the Black Panther Party? As the Panther’s Minister of Defense, Newton advocated armed self-defense against police violence and oppression. He emphasized the importance of Black unity and community organizing to address systemic racism and inequality.

The 2026 Matthew Henson Polar Explore Scholarship is now open for applications! To honor the legacy of the great innovator of Arctic exploration and winter adventure this program aims to inspire young explorers to  build the necessary skill set to thrive  during extreme low-temperature expeditions.

The Keepers of Our National Memory Two extraordinary leaders, Betty Reid Soskin and Robert Stanton, have dedicated their lives to making sure those stories reflect the full breadth of the American experience so that we never forget. Today we celebrate their Birthdays!

Celebrating my birthday as always with big thank you to our National Parks! Last week I had the pleasure to co-leading a scouting trip to the third least visited park in the system. Isle Royale, established in 1940, is on Lake Superior and is accessible only by ferry or seaplane.

Today we acknowledge the passing of Joseph McNeil, one of four Black students who refused to give up their seats at a Woolworth’s lunch counter on February 1, 1960. His act of civil disobedience inspired the creation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee part of the Civil Rights Movement

On this Labor Day we celebrate the Pullman Porters. On August 25, 1925 more than 500 employees of the Pullman Company gathered in Harlem, New York to form the first Black American labor union Learn more on Substack: https://jamesedwardmills.substack.com/p/the-pullman-porters

Relax. Relate. Release: Reflections on the BIPOC Outdoors Summit Not long ago, I had the privilege of joining a remarkable gathering at Northern Michigan University—the BIPOC Outdoors Summit. More than just a conference, this was a few days of community, learning, and restoration, designed to…

Outdoors For All 2025: Where Naturally Everyone Is Welcome I recently finished teaching my annual course, Outdoors For All, at the University of Wiscosin-Madison. I am deeply inspired by the amazing young people who are eager to learn about the enduring legacy of environmental protection that…

You know I love a good story, and this is one of my faves. Check out "How To Be Black", a discussion from the Joy Trip Reading Project with author Baratunde Thurston.

On February 1, 1960, four Black American college students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University sat down at a "whites-only" lunch counter at the Woolworth’s store in Greensboro, NC. Refused service, they remained seated in a peaceful protest against racial segregation.

Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833) was a Black American Minuteman. Born in West Hartford, he enlisted in the local militia as a Minuteman in 1774 and was called to arms following the outbreak of hostilities with British forces at the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.

Wisdom from the mind of Dr. Seuss. Embrace the power of doing common things.

More Than A Witness ~ the Power of the Lived Experience On March 16, 2025, after two weeks of arduous travel across the Alaskan wilderness, Emily Ford successfully completed the 53rd Iditarod Sled Dog Race. With a finishing time of 13 days, 1 hour, and 35 minutes, she placed 18th overall. In her…

History Never Gets Old ~ Lessons from the Ancient Past As a consultant for the Wisconsin Historical Society, I am putting my UC Berkeley Anthropology degree to good use. Over the past year I’ve been helping to curate a gallery of displays for the new Wisconsin History Center called Human…

Dangerfield Newby open.substack.com/pub/jamesedw...

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The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of Black American pilots and support personnel who served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. They overcame racial prejudice and discrimination to become one of the most successful and respected fighter groups of the war.

The 4th Annual Matthew Henson Polar Explorer Scholarship The Joy Trip Project is excited to announce the 4th recipient of the Matthew Henson Scholarship. In partnership with Polar Explorers, an Illinois-based guiding company, we are proud to award Zorbari Nwidor free tuition to attend a five-day…

Highlights from 2024. Thanks to the many amazing people that made this such an amazing year! #Joytriponassignment #thejoytripproject

The 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is a gift of peace, joy, and happiness from the Tongass National Forest and Tlingit People of Wrangell, Alaska wp.me/p9NIpy-8GAW

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree made a stop in Hagerstown, MD with a special escort from Motorcycle Santa. So cool!