Remembering Betty Reid Soskin: A Legacy of African American Contributions in World War II
Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest active National Park Service ranger in the country, passed away at the age of 104 at her home. She dedicated over a decade to sharing untold stories of African American contributions during World War II. Born in Detroit in 1921, Soskin moved to Oakland at a young age after her family's home in New Orleans was destroyed in the 1927 Mississippi River flood. She came from a Cajun-Creole family with roots in slavery, tracing back to her great-grandmother Leontine Breaux Allen, who was born into slavery in 1846.
During World War II, Soskin worked as a file clerk in a segregated boilermakers union hall in Richmond. She later joined the National Park Service at the age of 85 as a consultant for the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. Recognizing the racial segregation in the proposed park sites, she became a permanent ranger in 2007, ensuring that the complete story of the home front was shared with the public.
Soskin gained national recognition during the 2013 federal government shutdown when her status as the oldest park ranger made headlines. She published her memoir, "Sign My Name to Freedom," in 2018 and received various honors, including the California State Legislature's Woman of the Year award in 1995 and the World War II Museum's Silver Medallion in 2016. Filmmaker Bryan Gibel documented her rediscovery of original songs that she had kept hidden for over 50 years, showcasing her family's experiences as early African American residents in an all-white San Francisco suburb.
Retiring from the Park Service at the age of 100 in March 2022, Soskin's family is requesting donations to the Betty Reid Soskin Middle School and the completion of the documentary film instead of flowers. A public memorial will be announced at a later date.