Episode 337: The U.S. National Parks

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the history of U.S. national parks.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Yellowstone National Park turned 150 years old this year. Natalia recommended historian Rachel Louise Moran’s book Governing Bodies; American Politics and the Shaping of the Modern Physique. Niki cited historian Sarah Phillips’ book This Land, This Nation: Conservation, Rural America, and The New Deal and this Atlantic essay by David Treuer. Neil discussed this Smithsonian magazine article. Natalia recommended historian Megan Kate Nelson’s book Saving Yellowstone: Exploration and Preservation in Reconstruction America, and Neil talked about the exclusionary policies in national parks outlined in this USA Today article.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia shared her latest column for Observer, “Coss Marte’s CONBODY Combined Fitness and Social Justice. Now He is Adding Legal Cannabis.”
• Neil discussed the Netflix series Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey and his 2008 Slate essay, “Short Creek’s Long Legacy.”
• Niki recommended Katherine Rosman’s New York Times article, “That Voice You’re Hearing? It Might Be Hers.”