Betty Reid Soskin

Betty Reid Soskin, the nation's oldest active National Park Service ranger who retired at the age of 100, has died at the age of 104. She passed away peacefully at her home in Richmond, California, on Sunday. A celebrated voice for civil rights and the preservation of African American history, Soskin used her platform to tell the untold stories of those who served on the home front during World War II.

Born in Detroit and raised in New Orleans and Oakland, Soskin lived a life marked by resilience and reinvention. Before joining the National Park Service in her 80s, she was a file clerk in a segregated union hall during WWII, a songwriter, and a business owner. As a ranger at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, she captivated visitors with her personal narratives, ensuring that the history of segregation and discrimination was not erased from the collective memory of the war effort.

Soskin became a national icon late in life, receiving a presidential coin from Barack Obama and being named one of Glamour magazine's Women of the Year. Her memoir, Sign My Name to Freedom, chronicled her century-long journey through American history. She remained an active and vibrant presence in her community well into her centennial years, inspiring generations with her sharp wit and unwavering commitment to truth.

She leaves behind a profound legacy of advocacy and education. Her family and friends remember her not just as a public figure, but as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose wisdom and spirit touched everyone she met.