Tracing the history of the Civil Rights movement in America is part of the responsibility of the National Park Service, and to aid that task Eastern National has come out with a book that tracks the history.

History of Civil Rights in America provides an overview of the struggle for Civil Rights in America by Native Americans, women, African-Americans, and other minority groups such as Hispanic- and Japanese-Americans. Profiles of national park sites that tell the Civil Rights story encourage the reader to visit these sites and learn more about the road to equality in America.

This 60-page National Park Service softcover handbook outlines the epic journey and quest for liberty, from the first colonies at Jamestown established by those seeking religious freedom, to the plight of farm workers and the work of César Chávez in the 1980s, and the election of an African-American president, Barack Obama, in 2008.

Along the way, the book sheds light on some little-known units of the park system, such as Cane River Creole National Historical Park in Louisiana. This site preserves a glimpse of plantation life in the South. "The site includes several quarters in which enslaved people lived and two plantations: Oakland and Magnolia. Both demonstrate the history of colonization, fronter influences, French Creole architecture and culture, cotton agriculture, slavery and social practices over 200 years."

Another interesting section is on Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana, the site of Custer's Last Stand. "The Battle of Little Bighorn has come to symbolize the clash of two vastly different cultures: the buffalo/horse culture of the Northern Plains tribes and the highly industrial/agricultural-based culture of the United States, which was advancing primarily from the East Coast. This battle was not an isolated soldier versus warrior confrontation, but part of a much larger strategic campaign designed to force the capitulation of the nonreservation Sioux and Cheyenne."

The handbook is not an encyclopedic accounting of Civil Rights history in the United States, but a primer to these park system units, one that will help guide you in learning more about these units when you visit.

The National Park Service strives to interpret history for visitors, and to provide an understanding of the places and people significant to American progress. This compelling publication details the contributions and sacrifices of key figures in American history such as Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Maggie L. Walker, Martin Luther King, Jr. and many others. The book also features an introduction written by National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis.

“This important publication ties the historical Civil Rights journey to America’s national parks,” said George Minnucci, chief executive officer of Eastern National. “It connects readers to the history by making it accessible and relevant to all people, through the national park experience.”

History of Civil Rights in America is available now for $5.95 on www.eParks.com. For more information about this publication and other Eastern National products, visit eParks.com or call 1-877-NAT-PARK (877-628-7275).