NAACP Condemns Trump Administration’s Removal of MLK Day and Juneteenth From National Parks Free Days

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 8, 2025

Contact: Chyna Fields, cfields@naacpnet.org 

WASHINGTON —  The NAACP condemns the Trump Administration's decision to strip Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the National Park Service's annual free-entry days, replacing them with Flag Day, which also coincides with President Trump's birthday.

Derrick Johnson, NAACP President & CEO, shared the following response:

"We're still waiting on Trump to bring the cost of groceries and housing down, to make life affordable. Wasn't that the plan for day one?

"Trump is doing what he usually does — he seeks to distract and divide us by undermining progress attributed to the Black community. By doing this, he's hoping we'll forget about his failures on the economy. But we're not buying it.

"Removing MLK Day and Juneteenth from the national parks calendar is more than petty politics — it's an attack on the truth of this nation's history. It's an attempt to erase the legacy of Dr. King, minimize the story of emancipation, and sideline the communities that have fought for generations to make America live up to its promise. We will not stand by while this Administration tries to turn public spaces into instruments of division."

This action follows repeated efforts by the Trump Administration to suppress the teaching of Black history in schools and reverse long-standing civil rights protections. By eliminating the only free park days tied to Black history, the Administration is attempting to diminish the visibility of holidays honoring Black resilience – key moments of our nation's shared history – and turning public spaces into political tools.

The Association will continue to call out attempts to weaponize federal agencies against the Black community and will challenge any efforts by the Trump Administration that undermine racial equity, attack diversity, or distort the truth of Black history in America.

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About NAACP

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st-century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.