by Zoë Polk
“I am a walker. Walked most of the major seaport cities of this country…. my favorite has always been and will be the city of St. Francis, San Francisco… To walk around Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park at seven o’clock on a cool, windy morning, with that fog rolling in from the ocean to smell the eucalyptus and the pine, not even your best wine is more intoxicant. Take Kennedy Drive to the Great Highway, stroll along Ocean Beach from the Cliff House to the zoo and …

Simply outside
Jul. 26, 1940: Street Shower Hagerstown, Md. |© Charles W. Cushman|
Lately, I have come upon many collections of photos online of black people, especially youth, connecting to nature in a variety of ways. Some images are sent to me by members of the OA community, and others I have found after researching image sources. There are just so many examples that share an historic visual narrative of organic connections to nature, now rarely seen in popular culture today.
Here is my new favorite above of children at play. Note the five kids to the …

Outdoor Afros in Los Angeles explored local African American history and nature over the weekend – read on!
 
Alisha Pye here, I’m the Outdoor Afro Leader for Los Angeles. This week we decided to celebrate Spring by hiking at Solstice Canyon in Malibu which is located in the Santa Monica Mountains. It’s a beautiful hike with flowers in full bloom, waterfalls to enjoy, valleys and canyons to climb and picnic areas. We started on the stairs and continued on a steady incline until we came to an area of ruins that …

Our hearts melted when a member of the Outdoor Afro community on Facebook shared a link of photos, like the ones below that show images of black children enjoying and learning in nature in their 4-H camp in North Carolina in the 1940′s.
“What is old is new again.” one member commented. We could not agree more. Enjoy these timeless images that showcase examples of African American connections to nature over time.
Wake County – July 14-17, 1941, Camp Whispering Pines. Boys and girls enjoy a swim at the Wildlife Camp – at extreme …

My name is Nkrumah Frazier.  I am a member of the Outdoor Afro Leadership team.  Recently I was perusing some older pictures on my computer and stumbled across some pictures taken back in July of 2007 when my wife (Chelsea) and I reluctantly dropped our kids off at my mother’s house and hit the road headed to Birmingham, AL.  We did not have a weekend worth of activities, sites and destinations already planned out.  We had only decided to go a few days prior. I won’t attempt to talk about …

What exactly is Geocaching, you ask?
“Geocaching can be a fantastic way to spend some time outdoors, discovering and learning more about your world, in places both near and far, alone or with family and friends. It’s like treasure hunting, but the treasure is the experience.”
Guest Blog by Cat Clark tells us more about it!
When the weather in the Washington, DC area is mild, it allows me to enjoy one of my favorite outdoor activities: Geocaching!
Geocaching is a kind of high-tech scavenger hunt. Participants use handheld GPS receivers to find hidden …

Greetings Outdoor Afros:
I’m Morgan Powell and this is my fifth blog here at Outdoor Afro.  I’m the founder of Bronx River Sankofa – a documentary series on Cable TV and Facebook featuring African-American environmentalists from New York City’s greenest borough.  Many male Harlem Renaissance writers and other 20th century brothers-on-a-soap-box wrote about the invisible man phenomenon or mistaken identity in general stemming from low expectations by others of men of African descent.  The playful piece you are about to read contrasts a photo-documentary of my busiest days when I was  …

Hello Outdoor Afros:
My name is Morgan Powell and this is my fourth blog here at Outdoor Afro.  I’m the founder of Bronx River Sankofa – a documentary series on Cable TV and Facebook featuring African-American environmentalists from New York City’s greenest borough.  This meditation on the sprawling college campus as outdoor museum will be a departure from the more conventional green profiles I am known for.  I hope you enjoy, share and post comments!  This one’s for the historic preservationists out there.  This piece borrows the motto that, “The greenest …

A foggy morning turned into a beautiful afternoon for a late November hike up Mount Wanda at the John Muir National Historic site.  Twenty-five outdoor afros and Cody the dog were treated to an enjoyable afternoon of history, community, and smiles.
Before we began our hike, Raphael Allen, Park Ranger at Rosie the Riveter/ World War II Home Front National Historical Park, welcomed everyone and provided a thorough presentation on African American of History Port Chicago. Ranger Raphael explained that Port Chicago, visible from the summit of Mount Wanda, was the …

Submitted by Danielle Moodie-Mills, a friend and ally of Outdoor Afro, and fellow alumna of the 2012 Root 100!
The brisk chill of the early mornings in Washington, D.C. before the city becomes occupied by thousands of footprints, beeping horns, and the air is tainted with smoke and smog makes me reminiscent of the breaking dawns of my childhood—mornings greeted with my grandfather handing me a cup of chocolate tea and a fishing rod.

Born in Jamaica, my grandfather loved the outdoors. Who wouldn’t love it in a place where the deep blue color in the ocean isn’t an optical illusion and there is no …