This project was conducted as part of the CIS 650 (Applying Diversity Leadership Theories and Praxis) class during summer 2023 that involved assessing the web information (and more) provided by the Kingsley Plantation property of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve located in Jacksonville, Florida with a focus on African American populations. On this page, I use the Strategic Diversity Management Framework to analyze my agency's diversity response for Black youth. The first table demonstrates the relationship between services provided by my agency and the services that are focused on Black youth. The "Who" column looks at the diversity group, while the "What" column are the services. If the organization provides that service for Black youths then it earns a check mark, if the particular services are not geared towards Black youth it is marked with an x.
Table 1:
The second table below examines the strengths and weaknesses of each service provided by the agency I am working with. The categories include Information Sources (Collections and Resources), Information Policy and Planning (Diversity committee, Diversity representation), and Connections (Internal and External).
Table 2:
Information Sources:
- Collections:
Within the NPS library database, one can search a specific topic within a National Park's library collection. Our TIMU library contains books about slavery, black society in Spanish Florida, and etc. This is a resource for Black youth to use to research what books are available at that National Park.
https://eosfcweb01.eosfc-intl.net/N94044/OPAC/Search/SimpleSearch.aspx: Results relating to Black topics held at the TIMU library.
- Resources:
Black youth can learn more about the enslaved population at Kingsley Plantation via the Timucuan Eco and His Preserve webpage. The website details the lives of the enslaved peoples as well as some pages dedicated to individual stories. For example, the story of Esther, Gullah Jack, and Carpenter Bill.
https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/stories-of-the-enslaved.htm: Page listing different enslaved peoples stories from Kingsley Plantation
https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/esther.htm: An example of one of the stories shared on the list.
https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/reading-on-slave-lives.htm: list of resources one can use to learn more about slavery in Northeast Florida
Information Policy and Planning:
- Diversity Committee:
Although there are interpretive plans for interp rangers that detail how to speak with visitors about particular subjects. There is not anything specifically tailored for speaking with Black youth. There is a diversity committee for employees that give resources for diverse employees. Again this is only geared towards employees not specifically for the Black youth visitors.
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1244/index.htm - Link to the webpage for the Office of Relevancy, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Diversity Representation:
The interpretive page dedicated to the enslaved people of Kingsley Plantation represents the overall experiences of Black society in a Spanish Florida. The site discusses the story of Anna Kingsley and the enslaved peoples at Kingsley Plantation. Although it is an unfortunate form of representation, Black youth can see themselves in these stories and understand more of their history.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/doors-to-interpretation-kingsley-plantation.htm - Page dedicated to the interpretation of the Kingsley Plantation site.
Connections (Internal and External)
- Internal Centers and Organizations:
There are resource groups for rangers to use to discuss their experiences or ask for advice on how to properly relate to diverse groups. Specifically the Employee Empowerment Collective is a group that discusses the needs of African American employees and visitors.
- External Community Engagement:
The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve partners with local organization such as the Timucuan Parks Foundation, Groundwork Jacksonville, and the Jacksonville Public Library. For example, the Groundwork Jacksonville Green Team Youth Corps is comprised of high school aged Black students in Jacksonville. The Green Team and the rangers at TIMU have done events together including creek cleanups, kayaking, fishing clinics, and exposing them to local history. TIMU is also partnering with the Jacksonville Public Library to host story time programs, separate from the story time program I will be implementing.
https://www.timucuanparks.org/groundwork-jacksonville-green-team-youth-corps-to-debut-project-during-the-kingsley-heritage-celebration/ - Article on the work done in collaboration with the Green Team.
- News and Upcoming Events:
The Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve hosts an annual event that celebrates Black history during the month of February. The events that take place during the Kingsley Heritage Celebration include Gullah Geechee crafting traditions, dancing, speeches given by descendants of the Kingsley and the enslaved people, and a kids craft activity. The event is a platform to discuss the effects and impact of slavery.
https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/news/khc2023.htm- Kingsley Heritage Celebration event flyer listing all of the events for the day.
Resources:
Simple search - OPAC discovery. (n.d.). https://eosfcweb01.eosfc-intl.net/N94044/OPAC/Search/SimpleSearch.aspx
U.S. Department of the Interior. (2023, February). 2023 kingsley heritage celebration. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/news/khc2023.htm
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.-a). Doors to interpretation: Kingsley Plantation (U.S. National Park Service). National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/doors-to-interpretation-kingsley-plantation.htm
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.-c). Employee resource groups. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1244/ergs.htm
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.-d). Esther. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/esther.htm
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.-e). Office of relevancy, diversity, and Inclusion (U.S. National Park Service). National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1244/index.htm
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.-f). Recommended reading. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/reading-on-slave-lives.htm
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.-g). Stories of the enslaved. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/stories-of-the-enslaved.htm
White, K. (2021, February 17). Groundwork Jacksonville Green Team Youth Corps to debut project during the Kingsley Heritage Celebration. Timucuan Parks Foundation. https://www.timucuanparks.org/groundwork-jacksonville-green-team-youth-corps-to-debut-project-during-the-kingsley-heritage-celebration/