Date of Award
Fall 12-2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Human Movement Sciences
Program/Concentration
Park, Recreation and Tourism Studies
Committee Director
Chris A. B. Zajchowski
Committee Member
Eddie Hill
Committee Member
Jessica Fefer
Abstract
Washington D.C. has witnessed many watershed events throughout the history of the United States of America. One of these events was the Summer in the Parks (SITP) program organized by the National Park Service (NPS) from 1968-1976. Summer in the Parks was a community-based series of events including concerts, park visits, and exhibitions designed to quell racial tensions and promote park usage. Researchers have begun chronicling SITP, but have yet to explore how the story of SITP is conveyed by park interpreters to visitors and subsequently what themes are shared to inform public understanding of the historic relationship between NPS resources in the National Capital Area and individuals identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). This research sought to understand where and how SITP is interpreted in the National Capital Area, Region 1 (hereafter referred to as the NCA), what methods are used to produce interpretive programs for SITP, and NPS employees’ perspectives on the role of the SITP story in the NCA. In-depth interviews with 5 interpretive program managers were conducted to understand their experience interpreting SITP and how they perceive SITP relates to the larger community engagement narrative woven through the Washington D.C, the NCA, and the NPS. Specifically, we were interested in how interpreters made sense of SITP and its relationship with the current narrative surrounding the engagement of BIPOC visitors at NPS units. Interviews were then analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to better understand how interpreters make sense of and perceive the opportunities they provide visitors to engage with this history. Results will inform future SITP interpretation, as well as how SITP is situated within the goal of the Urban Agenda, created by the NPS to focus on providing opportunities for the many diverse communities in urban centers and “nurture a Culture of Collaboration” (NPS, 2017). Finally, this work aims to further the goal of individuals of all cultures, races, and ethnicities to feeling comfortable, accepted, and represented in NCA units.
Rights
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DOI
10.25777/4a6a-aj57
ISBN
9798762199445
Recommended Citation
Kane, Brendan J..
"Interpreting Summer in the Parks in the National Capital Area of the National Park Service"
(2021). Master of Science (MS), Thesis, Human Movement Sciences, Old Dominion University, DOI: 10.25777/4a6a-aj57
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/hms_etds/58
Included in
Cultural History Commons, Leisure Studies Commons, Tourism and Travel Commons, United States History Commons