Yet, not everyone was familiar with her name or fully grasped the significance of her life’s work.
Today, we take a moment to pay tribute to Betty Reid Soskin.
She was the oldest living ranger in the National Park Service until her passing on December 21, 2025, at the incredible age of 104.
Retired at the age of 100.
Surrounded by her loved ones, Betty Reid Soskin’s last moments mirrored the way she lived: vibrant, purposeful, and profoundly impactful. In a statement shared on Sunday morning, her family expressed that she had “led a life full of experiences and was prepared to depart.”
And what a remarkable life it was.
As a pioneering civil rights activist, historian, and storyteller, Soskin dedicated over a century to breaking down barriers and reclaiming overlooked history. She officially retired from the National Park Service in 2022 at the age of 100, earning the title of the agency’s oldest active ranger, but her influence extended far beyond any designation.
Long before she wore a ranger uniform, Soskin played a crucial role in shaping the future of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond. She collaborated closely with the city and the NPS to create its management plan, ensuring that the narratives of African Americans and other people of color, often omitted from WWII stories, were finally acknowledged.
Her adventure with the Park Service only started when she turned 84.
Thanks to a grant from PG&E, Soskin played a key role in revealing the untold narratives of Black Americans during the WWII home front, which eventually led to her temporary and then permanent position with the NPS. Her impactful interpretive programs changed the way visitors perceived America’s history, finally bringing attention to voices that had long been overlooked.
Escaping the Jim Crow South
Betty Charbonnet was born in Detroit in 1921. She was raised in a Cajun-Creole, African American family that moved to New Orleans and later to Oakland after the catastrophic Great Flood of 1927. Her family’s journey mirrored that of Black railroad workers who headed west in search of opportunities and freedom from the oppressive racism of the Jim Crow South.
Her recollections spanned nearly every significant event in modern American history. She recalled ferry boats traversing the Bay before the bridges were built, Oakland’s airport being little more than two hangars, Amelia Earhart’s last flight, and the tragic Port Chicago explosion of 1944.
During World War II, Soskin served as a file clerk in a segregated union hall. In 1945, she and her husband established Reid’s Records, one of the first Black-owned music stores in the nation, which became a cultural landmark that operated for over 70 years.
Her dedication to public service remained steadfast. She continued her work in local and state government, serving as a staff member for a Berkeley city council member and as a field representative for California legislators, consistently championing equity, inclusion, and truth.
One of the standout moments in her extraordinary life occurred in 2015 when President Barack Obama personally invited her to illuminate the National Christmas Tree. To commemorate this occasion, he presented her with a special coin featuring the presidential seal.
“Looking at it now, it feels almost surreal. It was something I never imagined, and it turned out to be amazing,” Soskin reflected in 2021.
Engaged with politics until the end
Even in her final days, Soskin remained actively involved in the world around her, particularly in politics. In a candid interview with The Guardian, she shared her thoughts on the current political landscape in the United States.
Soskin emphasized that she was far from apathetic. “I follow politics very closely,” she stated during a video call from her home in Richmond, where she lived with her daughter, Di’ara. Reflecting on the significant historical events she had experienced, she remarked, “Even during the 50s and 60s with civil rights, that was all [progress].”
However, she expressed concern that progress had stalled. “I don’t feel that’s the case now,” she noted. Discussing the Trump administration, Soskin was frank: “It seems to me that [Trump] has no clue what he’s doing. I believe we’ve lost our sense of direction.”
For someone who dedicated over a century to advocating for justice and truth, this uncertainty was profoundly unsettling. “And that’s frightening to me,” she said, “because I’m going to leave the world in such a state.”
Betty Reid Soskin passed away peacefully at her home in Richmond, California, at the age of 104, as confirmed by her family on Sunday.
A public memorial will be announced later. In lieu of flowers, her family has requested that donations be made to Betty Reid Soskin Middle School or to support the completion of her documentary film, Sign My Name to Freedom — a fitting title for a woman who dedicated her life to that very cause.
Betty Reid Soskin didn’t merely observe history; she actively shaped it. She safeguarded it.
And ensured it would always be remembered.
