Summary (tl;dr)

Betty Reid Soskin, the nation's oldest active National Park Ranger until her retirement in 2022, has died at the age of 104 in her Richmond, California home.

Essential Background

Born in Detroit in 1921, Betty Reid Soskin experienced a rich and impactful life, moving to Oakland, California, after her family's home in New Orleans was destroyed by a flood in 1927. During World War II, she worked as a file clerk in a segregated Boilermakers Union auxiliary in Richmond, California, witnessing firsthand the experiences of African Americans on the home front. Later, she and her first husband, Mel Reid, founded Reid's Records in Berkeley, one of the first Black-owned music stores in the area, which operated until 2019. Soskin became a prominent community activist and, in her 80s, began working with the National Park Service to help establish the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, ensuring that the stories of African Americans and other minorities were included in the historical narrative. She became a permanent park ranger at the age of 85, sharing her personal experiences and historical insights with visitors.

The Full Story

Betty Reid Soskin passed away peacefully at her home in Richmond, California, on Sunday morning, December 21, 2025, at the age of 104. Her family announced her death on Facebook, stating she was "attended by family" and "led a fully packed life and was ready to leave". Until her retirement in March 2022 at the age of 100, Soskin was recognized as the oldest active National Park Ranger in the United States, serving at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. Her passing has led to widespread tributes and recognition of her significant contributions as a historian, civil rights activist, and storyteller.

Why It Matters

Betty Reid Soskin's death marks the end of an era for a unique voice that brought firsthand accounts of World War II's home front, particularly the experiences of African Americans, to the public. Her work as a park ranger ensured that a more inclusive history was told at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, challenging narratives that often overlooked the contributions and struggles of minorities. Soskin's life, marked by civil rights activism, entrepreneurship, and public service into her centenarian years, serves as an inspiration and a reminder of the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping historical understanding. Her legacy continues through the Betty Reid Soskin Middle School and a forthcoming film about her life, "Sign My Name to Freedom."

Geographic Location

• Richmond, Contra Costa County, California, United States (place of death, location of Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park)
• Berkeley, Alameda County, California, United States (location of Reid's Records, co-founded by Soskin)
• El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California, United States (location of Betty Reid Soskin Middle School, renamed in her honor)