"whites only" camping????

[Rustyone]

Ok I'll ask.

  I guess this belongs in campfire more than here but there is so little traffic over there I'll post here and let the powers that be decide.

  We went tent camping last week (for the last time) and since I was feeling a little under the weather, spent the whole four days' at the site watching birds and people and just "reflecting".  As I sat there just looking, a pick-up came by my site with about ten young white folks and one young black fellow in the back.  They seemed to be having the time of their lives, a whooping and a hollering, and within an hour their tents were set up and picnic tables filled with food and drink.  Soon after they had a downright respectable volleyball game going and I kept an unofficial score going from a distance.  The next morning, while my wife was cooking breakfast, I saw that same young black gentleman come out of his tent and do a morning stretch.

  It was then, that it occured to me that in fifty years or so, this was the first time I'd ever seen a black person, or any person other than white for that matter, camping!

  Why is that?  I'm sure camping isn't exclusive to "whites only"!  Just my ramblings but I really don't know.  Anybody care to comment?

Russ

[brainpause]

First, as moderator, let's all be careful with this topic.

Now, as Camper Larry, I have observed the same thing. I grew up with lots of African Americans in my hometown, some of them becoming very good friends.

Holly and I have often wondered aloud (betwixt one another, of course) about this. I don't know why...and I'm afraid to suggest much.

I will say this: The few minorities we have seen camping have been pleasant, as I recall. And I would bet that I would remember an unpleasant experience.

Larry

[sorrends]

I must say that most of the campers I have seen have been white, but there are more and more blacks that are reaping the benefits of camping, and I must say, some of my closest camping buddies are black and beautiful!  I think the people you meet while camping bear far less prejusdices than the general population - personal opinion!

[Just Me]

The Weekend of August 13th, I will be opening the camping door for my African American friend and her son.  This will be their very first camping trip,  I explained to them that once you get a taste of camping in your blood it is hard to break.  I am looking forward to this trip.

[Old Goat]

WE camped at James Island near Charlston last weekend and there was a black couple with their two kids camped near by in a big 5th..... They were really nice folks and seemed to be having a great time....Two years ago in Kentucky we pulled onto a site next to an elderly black couple  and their four teenage grand kids...They had camped a lot and were on a two week trip and teaching the  kids about camping and the outdoors...The kids were very much interested in how a popup worked and were amazed at all the space it had.....We stayed two nites and really had a grand  time talking with them...They were really great people and great campers.......

[Rustyone]

Hi everybody:

     I knew this was a touchy subject for some, and I guess the fact that it is so sensitive speaks volumes, but I really am curious why you seldom see "non-whites" camping.
     When I asked the question I didn't mean African American only.  Look around next time your at the CG.  It seems that Camping/RVing is practically exclusive to Anglo Saxon America, be they low, middle, or upper income; from tents to half million dollar coaches, it's the same.
     My first impression was that it's just not marketed to that demographic, but that doesn't really hold water.  Then I read where several state park systems have initiated a "diversity camping program", Washington state being among the first, but that there is some speculation that minorities simply feel like they just wouldn

[ForestCreature]

Living in an Urban/Suburban area, the CGs closer to the city draw many different races. Yes the majority are white, but we do get some diversity.
   Guess I never questioned camping being a one race pasttime because around here it's not.
   Even back in the woods we have met some other campers that were not
   white. I even learned a new terminology for boondocking.......bedrocking
   (as in the Flintstones, get your mind out of the gutter )

[brainpause]

get your mind out of the gutter )

 :Z

Sorry!

Larry

[beacher]

At the turn of the century there was a very popular resort in Idlewild, Michigan .  It was a very popular place for blacks to go camping, hiking, horseback riding , and generally enjoying the outdoors.  It is a resort community founded by blacks specifically for that purpose.

Living in Southern California, it is not uncommon to see many black people enjoying their RVs.  Los Angeles neighborhoods like Lemert Park and Dominguez Hills are where many upper middle class black people live, and on any given morning you can see MANY really nice RVs heading out of town.

Many of the black churches in the area have yearly weekend camping trips, so it's not uncommon for them to go camping in very large groups at the group campsites.

I grew up camping and had never seen any non-caucasian campers either.  A few years ago I had a black co-worker who lived in Lemert Part, (in the 1940's it was a Bevery Hills type area).  He is the one that taught me about all this stuff, and that he and his family have been going camping all of thier lives.  But for racial reasons, and the percieved and real safety of their family, they always tended to camp where they would not encounter "uncivilized" white folk.  And not really trusting or knowing who was or wasn't "civilized" when out in the boonies, they would normally camp on private property owned by fellow black people.  That's why you probably have not seen very many.

Unfortunate, but it's the world we live in.

[beacher]

...... Anglo Saxon America, be they low, middle, or upper income; from tents to half million dollar coaches, it's the same.......

I have rarely encountered Anglo Saxons while camping.  When camping in the central Canadian area as a young lad in the Boy Scouts I encountered many of Norman ancestry.  And in FL, LA, NC, GA, and TX many of a Brunette brown-eyed tribe, perhaps Mediterreranean decent.  In California I have ran into many a camper of Iberian decent, many true Spaniards, Basques, and Portuguese!

[mowalker]

Come on down here to Florida.  We get all colors, Red, Black, White and Orange (oh those are the Gator Fans).  I'm still keeping my out for the green ones:yikes: .

Gosh, I asked this question back in the early days of PUT when we were planning on taking our neighbors with us.
 
We have actually taken with us Ray's long time friend (no! not his best friend the "black guy") on a weekend trip and really had a good time.  He actually asked Ray if he could tag along.  Ray kinda warned him that he would be the only black guy there in the CG and asked him if he would feel uncomfortable. He still agreed to go.  It all worked out that weekend, but I wont say we never got any bad looks.  We do live in the south where there can be a presence of prejudice.  However no words were spoken to us.  No damage done.
 
I have never had a problem if someone is really into camping.  What don't appreciate anyone trying to impose their lifestyle on me no matter what they believe.  Even have seen a pop-up with a bumper sticker with a rainbow "camping family" and something else in small print. (I was not close enough to see what it said) :confused: Hey it drove away.
 
I also do not believe in politcal correctness and call it as I see it.
 
As long is there is no trouble or hateful stuff we can just camp.  Isn't that what were here for.
 
By the way!  Did you know that pop-up campers get a bad rap on other boards just for being in pop-ups?  Talk about prejudice:p

[brainpause]

By the way!  Did you know that pop-up campers get a bad rap on other boards just for being in pop-ups?  Talk about prejudice:p

Yep...I thought about this when the thread first came up. I believe that those in big motor homes (and sometimes bigger trailers) think we are amateurs! NOT!

Larry

[vjm1639]

Living in an Urban/Suburban area, the CGs closer to the city draw many different races. Yes the majority are white, but we do get some diversity.
Guess I never questioned camping being a one race pasttime because around here it's not.

Yep...same for around here.   Every race, color, make, and model.  :>  Once it gets in your blood, we're all just campers!  :>

[rh44mag]

I took my wife on a cruise last december for our 10th anniversary.  While on the ship we went to see a stand up show where the comedian summed it up.  He said white folks are crazy, they work hard all year to save money and earn vacation time just to live for a week like they are homeless.  He said black folks just have more sense than that.   I guess it sounds reasonable, I never claimed to be sane.

[vjm1639]

I took my wife on a cruise last december for our 10th anniversary. While on the ship we went to see a stand up show where the comedian summed it up. He said white folks are crazy, they work hard all year to save money and earn vacation time just to live for a week like they are homeless. He said black folks just have more sense than that. I guess it sounds reasonable, I never claimed to be sane.

Oh that is great!   LOL