The outgoing administration has helped to protect and preserve the nation?s progressive history. As Barack Obama prepares to leave the White House later this week, the accomplishments of his administration and the extent of his legacy will continue to be part of the national conversation. While many parts of his record can and will be debated, one thing he and his administration can definitely take credit for is the preservation of numerous civil rights landmarks. From centerpieces of the Civil Rights movement to places that celebrate suffrage, labor protests, and the lesbian and gay push for recognition and respect, the country?s progressive social movements, and the sites that represent key moments of those struggles, gained National Landmark and National Monument status. Presidents are given the power to create national monuments representing ?objects of historic or scientific interest? by the American Antiquities Act of 1906. Many previous national monuments focused on beautiful scenery, important battle fields, and the homes and residences of famous political leaders. Obama, as well as the Department of the Interior, have widened the definition of which sites are instrumental in telling our country?s story, and have left a diverse collection of monuments and landmarks in their wake.
?I have sought to build a more inclusive National Park System and ensure that our national parks, monuments and public lands are fully reflective of our nation?s diverse history and...