Redwood National Park Flagged 9 Books About Tribal History for Possible Removal Under a Federal Order
Staff at Redwood National and State Parks in Humboldt County flagged nine books about local tribal histories for possible removal from visitor center shelves, following a Trump administration directive that is drawing sharp criticism from tribal leaders and educators.
The executive order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” directs federal agencies to review parks, monuments and statues for material that “disparages Americans past or living” or emphasizes anything other than the nation’s “beauty, abundance, or grandeur.” In response, park managers at Redwood submitted a list of nine books sold by the Redwood Parks Conservancy that focus on local tribal histories.
The flagged titles include “California Through Native Eyes” by William Bauer Jr., “We Are Dancing for You” by Cutcha Risling Baldy, and “We Are the Land” by Damon Akins and William Bauer Jr. Many of the books were written by California Native American authors and are used to help visitors understand the history of the people whose land the park occupies.
The directive has affected at least 17 national park sites across the country, with staff reportedly ordered to remove or revise displays addressing settlers’ mistreatment of Native peoples.
In a notable split, California State Parks, which co-manages the Redwood park system with the National Park Service, refused to make changes at the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park visitor center. A spokesperson said the state follows Governor Newsom’s policies, including an executive order that established a Truth and Healing Council to examine California’s historical relationship with Native American tribes.
The books remain available at Prairie Creek but have been flagged at three federally managed visitor centers: Hiouchi, Crescent City and the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center in Orick.