Learn more about how you can honor Black leaders in nature

Black trailblazers have been shaping the Potomac River region for centuries – and making enduring contributions to our area. From pioneering abolitionists who took action for social justice to naturalists who insightfully documented our region’s rich biodiversity to intrepid explorers who helped map the planet’s undiscovered places, many trailblazing African Americans have influenced communities along the Potomac River. 

Today, these Black pioneers are memorialized in protected areas throughout our region, but here are just a few of our favorite parks honoring them on the Potomac River.

1. Matthew Henson Stream Valley Park, Maryland

Born in Charles County, Maryland, in 1866, Matthew Henson was a lifelong explorer. After being orphaned as a boy, he took a job on a ship – and had sailed the world by the time he was a teenager. As a young man, Henson worked as a clerk – and by chance, met Navy officer and explorer Robert Peary. The serendipitous encounter was the beginning of a long friendship – and years of far-flung expeditions. Not long after meeting, Henson and Peary set their sights on the Arctic – spending 18 years exploring the polar region. In 1909, the pair led an expedition believed to be the first to reach the North Pole – the last of their polar voyages together.

About 65 miles north of Henson’s birthplace, the Matthew Henson Stream Valley Park in Montgomery County memorializes the pioneering Maryland native. Spread over four different units, the 116-acre park is anchored by the 4.2-mile Matthew Henson Trail. Weaving through leafy woodlands, the trail parallels Turkey Branch Stream and connects to the 18.6-mile Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail at Winding Creek Local Park in Wheaton.

2. Benjamin Banneker Park, Virginia

Born in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1731, Benjamin Banneker was a multifaceted scholar, initially taught to read by his grandmother, Molly. While partially self-educated, as a young man Banneker became an exceptional astronomer, mapping the cosmos and predicting a solar eclipse in 1789. Just a couple of years later, Banneker assisted the surveying teams in mapping the boundaries of the capital in 1791, directed by Major Pierre L’Enfant. 

In Arlington County, Virginia, the accomplished astronomer and naturalist is memorialized at Benjamin Banneker Park. The metro-accessible park is situated beside Four Mile Run, Arlington County’s largest stream – a short walk from the East Falls Church Metro Station. Recently updated, the 12.5 acre park features a playground, off-leash dog park, soccer field, and shaded picnic area.

One of the original boundary stones used to mark Washington, DC is located within the park, originally placed in 1791 – and now protected by an iron fence. A handful of regional trails are also accessible from the park, including the 45-mile Washington & Old Dominion Trail, the Custis Trail, and Arlington County’s Four Mile Run Trail.

3. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia

Situated at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is not named after a Black trailblazer, but it preserves an area that played a pivotal role in America’s history. The riverside town became a stopover for travelers in the early 1800s – and for some, a route to freedom. For enslaved people, waterways like the Potomac River offered a possible means of escape as a route to Northern cities like Philadelphia. The riverside town was catapulted to national notoriety when a band of abolitionists led by John Brown attacked the Federal Armory in Harpers Ferry in 1859, part of an effort to stockpile weapons. Although the raid only lasted 36 hours, the assault was among the events that sparked the Civil War.

Today, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park stretches into Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the protected area includes the location of John Brown’s Fort, Harpers Ferry’s historic Lower Town, and the grounds of Storer College, along with a handful of nearby Civil War battlefields, and portions of two offshore islands. For hikers, the park also offers more than 22 miles of trails – including a mile-long stretch of the East Coast’s longest footpath, the Appalachian Trail. From the historical park, hikers also have access to the 184.5 mile towpath that bisects the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

4. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park, Maryland

One of the most prominent leaders of civil rights movement of the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for social justice and economic freedom for communities of color. However, many Dr. King’s speeches and sermons also espouse a reverence for the natural world, and his trailblazing activism paved the way for America’s environmental justice movement. In April 1964, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee was supporting Black sanitation workers protesting persistent exposure to environmentally hazardous conditions. 

In Silver Spring, the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park honors the pioneering activist’s reverence for nature. Anchored by a small pond, the 95-acre park features playing fields, picnic shelters, an adventure playground, and an aquatics center with indoor and outdoor pools. The park also offers more than 2.5 miles of trails, including a 0.8 mile HeartSmart Trail – and the trail system also connects to the adjacent Paint Branch Trail. 

5. Bazil Newman Riverfront Park, Virginia 

Nestled along the waters of the Potomac River and Goose Creek in Loudoun County, Bazil Newman Riverfront Park honors the legacy of one of the region’s early African American entrepreneurs. A free Black man, Newman was born in 1779, just a few years after America declared independence. An industrious businessperson, Newman owned a patch of land along the Potomac River Edwards Ferry – and operated both mill and ferry business on his estate. While Newman sold milled grain and flour at markets across the river – there is some historical evidence suggesting he also may have aided individuals escaping to freedom in Pennsylvania along the Potomac River. 

After his death, Newman’s land became part of a residential area and a recreational area named for a family of slaveholders, Elizabeth and Samuel Clapham. However, in 2022 the Loudon County Board of Supervisors voted to officially rename the protected area to honor Newman. Now, the Bazil Newman Riverfront Park features more than 100 acres of woodlands and waterfront – including a boat launch for paddlers, recently renamed the Riverport Drive Trailhead. A section of the Potomac Heritage Trail also winds through the park, part of Northern Virginia’s 14- mile stretch of the extensive 900-mile trail network, extending from the mouth of the Potomac River to Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains. 

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