Dr. Jerry Lee Examines Hidden Histories of U.S. Public Parks in New Book
- Dr. KangJae “Jerry” Lee of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism published Violent and Verdant: Systemic Injustice in Public Parks in the U.S.
- The book examines how many U.S. parks were shaped by elite interests, segregation, and social control.
- Lee’s work is drawing international attention and has led to invitations to present in the United Kingdom, South Korea, and the United States.
Public parks are widely recognized as important public health resources, offering opportunities for physical activity, mental well-being, rest, and community connection. In his 2025 book, Violent and Verdant: Systemic Injustice in Public Parks in the U.S. (Routledge), KangJae “Jerry” Lee, PhD, of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism takes a critical look at the histories behind America’s public parks and the forces that shaped them.
Lee’s research shows that many community, state, and national parks in the United States were established during the 19th and 20th centuries by some of the nation’s most affluent and powerful white men. According to the book, these spaces often reflected elite priorities, including real estate speculation, social control of poor and immigrant communities, and racial segregation. Lee argues that understanding this history is essential to understanding access and use today.
Parks are often celebrated as democratic public spaces, but Lee’s work highlights the exclusion and displacement that helped define many of them. As he notes, colonial displacement, racial exclusion, and class-based disenfranchisement were widespread, even as marginalized communities fought for access. The book has gained attention across global academic communities, and Lee has been invited to present in the United Kingdom, South Korea, and the US. Through this work, he continues to advance scholarship on health, justice, and the future of public parks.
