Underrepresentation of Black Visitors in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Evidence from Household Survey Data

Keywords: National Parks, Black/African American, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, BIPOC, Space and Place
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Friday
Session Start / End Time: 2/25/2022 11:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/25/2022 12:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 32

Abstract

Black/African Americans' visitation to Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP) remains significantly lower than other minority groups (less than 1% of total visitors). This number is particularly concerning since this park is located in the southeastern United States and in close geographic proximity to large Black/African American populations. It is intriguing to understand why African American visitors are underrepresented at GSMNP. Existing Park visitation surveys provide information only about park visitors and hence, the voices and perspectives of Black/African Americans who do not visit are not well understood. Slavery, segregation, and ongoing racial politics demand a process of unlearning and undoing by centering African American voices. This research designed and conducted a household survey including a series of open-ended questions among Black communities surrounding GSMNP to better understand what national parks represent to African Americans and the reasons for either visiting or not visiting the GSMNP. Further, focus groups and one-on-one interviews were conducted to complement this survey data for an in-depth understanding of Black perspectives of the racialization of space and nature and how that impacted their relationship with the national parks, especially with GSMNP. The results of this study can be used to strengthen policy, create suitable interventions, and implement strategies within the parks that adhere to the aesthetic and cultural representations of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).