This is for Ms. Betty': Betty Reid Soskin, author, activist, and park ranger, celebrated

"Thanks to Betty, we have learned to lean into and seek out the hidden stories that go beyond the popular narrative. Before taking on that job, Soskin helped influence the stories told there as a field representative to two congressmembers, ensuring the museum also reflected the lived experiences of Black and Asian Americans at the time."

"Fame came to Soskin when she became a park ranger at age 85, a role she held for 15 years working at the Rosie the Riveter World War II/Home Front National Historic Park. We at the park knew we were incredibly blessed to have Betty, and we never took her for granted."

"Much of what Soskin witnessed and experienced throughout her century-long life was documented in her blog, from the rapid growth of Richmond during World War II and the Port Chicago munitions explosion of 1944 that claimed more than 250 lives, many Black service men, to the Civil Rights Movement and more modern political turmoil."

Betty Reid Soskin, who passed away at age 104, was celebrated as an activist, writer, and trailblazer who became a park ranger at 85 and served for 15 years at the Rosie the Riveter World War II/Home Front National Historic Park. Before her ranger role, she worked as a field representative influencing the stories told at the museum, ensuring it reflected the lived experiences of Black and Asian Americans. Born in Detroit in 1921 and raised in East Oakland, Soskin witnessed and documented a century of American history through her blog and autobiography, including World War II industrial growth, the Port Chicago munitions explosion, the Civil Rights Movement, and contemporary political events. Her contributions fundamentally changed how historical narratives are presented, encouraging institutions to seek out and include previously hidden stories.

Read at www.mercurynews.com