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Betty Reid Soskin, Oldest U.S. Park Ranger, Dies at 104

Her late-life park service career preserved overlooked World War II home-front stories from Black Americans.

Overview

  • Her family said she died peacefully Sunday morning at her Richmond home, attended by loved ones.
  • A public memorial will be announced later as the family requests privacy.
  • In lieu of flowers, the family directed donations to Betty Reid Soskin Middle School and to complete the documentary Sign My Name to Freedom.
  • She began NPS work in her 80s, became a permanent employee in 2011, and retired in 2022 at age 100 as the nation’s oldest active ranger.
  • At Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, she centered narratives such as the Port Chicago Explosion to highlight Black Americans’ contributions.