National Park Service's Controversial Decision to Drop Free Admission for MLK Day and Juneteenth, Replacing it with President Trump's Birthday
In a move that has sparked widespread criticism, the National Park Service has announced that it will no longer offer free admission to U.S. residents on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, but instead will provide free entry on President Donald Trump's birthday.
The decision is seen as part of a broader pattern by the Trump administration to downplay America's civil rights history while promoting its own legacy. Last year, the park service offered free admission on MLK Day and Juneteenth, but not on June 14, which marks Trump's birthday.
Starting January 1, 2026, the new list of free-admission days for Americans includes Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, President Theodore Roosevelt's birthday in October, and the anniversary of the Park Service's creation in August. However, MLK Day and Juneteenth, which commemorate the day in 1865 when enslaved Americans were emancipated, are no longer included.
Civil rights leaders have voiced strong opposition to the change, with Harvard Kennedy School professor Cornell William Brooks calling it "raw racism." Kristen Brengel, a spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, expressed concern that eliminating MLK Day will impact community groups that use the free day for volunteer projects at parks.
"This is not only about recognizing an American hero but also about giving back to communities," Brengel said. "For some reason, Black history has repeatedly been targeted by this administration, and it shouldn't be."
Some Democratic lawmakers have also weighed in against the new policy, with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada stating that the President's actions "remove two holidays that mark Black Americans' struggle for civil rights and freedom."
In a move that has sparked widespread criticism, the National Park Service has announced that it will no longer offer free admission to U.S. residents on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, but instead will provide free entry on President Donald Trump's birthday.
The decision is seen as part of a broader pattern by the Trump administration to downplay America's civil rights history while promoting its own legacy. Last year, the park service offered free admission on MLK Day and Juneteenth, but not on June 14, which marks Trump's birthday.
Starting January 1, 2026, the new list of free-admission days for Americans includes Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, President Theodore Roosevelt's birthday in October, and the anniversary of the Park Service's creation in August. However, MLK Day and Juneteenth, which commemorate the day in 1865 when enslaved Americans were emancipated, are no longer included.
Civil rights leaders have voiced strong opposition to the change, with Harvard Kennedy School professor Cornell William Brooks calling it "raw racism." Kristen Brengel, a spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, expressed concern that eliminating MLK Day will impact community groups that use the free day for volunteer projects at parks.
"This is not only about recognizing an American hero but also about giving back to communities," Brengel said. "For some reason, Black history has repeatedly been targeted by this administration, and it shouldn't be."
Some Democratic lawmakers have also weighed in against the new policy, with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada stating that the President's actions "remove two holidays that mark Black Americans' struggle for civil rights and freedom."
? Can't they just leave MLK Day alone?! It's not like we're asking for too much, right? Free admission to the parks is already a big deal, but now it's being taken away because of some dude's birthday 
. And Cornell William Brooks calling it "raw racism" isn't far off, imo 
. I mean, come on, Juneteenth is like, super important history day, and now it's getting pushed to the side for Trump's ego 
. The Park Service should just stick with what works – free admission on MLK Day and Juneteenth, period 
. This whole thing is just a mess 
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they're ditching free admission on MLK Day & Juneteenth to give it to trump's birthday 
and it looks like they're still not done trying to downplay our civil rights history 
. did u know that the national park service has a budget of $3.4 billion? 
and its gonna be spent on... more park maintenance? 
i guess trump's birthday is just more important than preserving american history 
anyway, here are some stats to put this into perspective:
. Free admission to all the patriotic holidays like Presidents Day and Independence Day is fine, but MLK Day and Juneteenth get dropped? Come on! What's next? Are we gonna have to pay to visit our own graves? 
I mean, what's the logic behind that? And don't even get me started on Trump's birthday - dude, you're a billionaire, can't you afford to visit your own park? 
I'm not surprised by this move to be honest. It feels like they're trying to erase or downplay our history so we can just focus on whatever Donald Trump wants us to focus on. Like, come on, MLK Day and Juneteenth are huge deals for civil rights in America. You can't just swap them out with Trump's birthday without some major explanation. It's just another example of how this administration doesn't understand the impact of their decisions on real people's lives.
This is wild. I mean, what even is the deal here? Free admission to all these presidents but not MLK Day and Juneteenth? It feels like they're trying to erase some of our history. Like, can't we just celebrate our entire timeline without cherry-picking certain parts? 
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. those were some amazing speeches he gave during his time on earth... and now we just get free admission on a random Tuesday in June 
. I mean, what's next? Dropping free admission to our national parks on the anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott or the March on Washington? It's like they're trying to erase a big part of American history and culture.
... free MLK Day and Juneteenth are so important to understanding our country's history... Trump's birthday shouldnt be more important than civil rights 
. I dont get why they can't just leave those days alone. its like theyre trying to erase black history or something... 
It's just not right. These were holidays set aside to honor our nation's greatest figures in the Civil Rights movement. By getting rid of MLK Day and Juneteenth, they're basically saying that Black Americans don't deserve recognition or a day off. That's not what America is all about. We need to stand together on this one, folks! 
