Folsom's Nego Bar becomes 'Black Miners Bar' while State Park officials further study site history

The California State Park and Recreation Commission voted 7--0 to temporarily renamed the Folsom Lake State Recreation area long known as Negro Bar during its quarterly meeting last Friday in Sacramento. The new name is "Black Miners Bar," at least for now.At this time, State Parks has noted that the new name is temporary as they expect it to take at least a year for a final name to be chosen as officials explore the park's history, even beyond that of the two years they have spent doing so thus far. As reported in last week's Telegraph prior to the vote, State Park officials have considered a new name for Negro Bar for a long time, after some residents have cited it is offensive. The idea of the name change has been long debated. While many are in support of the change, some local historians and residents alike say the name should remain as it is, citing that it wasn't always a racial slur like it is today and was originally meant a positive recognition of those and the historical activities that took place there.Originally, Negro Bar was a large gravel bar on the south side the American River just west of Folsom's Rainbow Bridge. The bar was originally named to recognize the African American gold miners who found success in the discovery of gold there during the 1849 California Gold Rush. For a few years, it rewarded the prospectors with a steady yield of coarse gold dust.According to local history documents and news articles, Negro Bar was a mining camp but it was not the lively mining town like others or those we see on the big screen in movies depicting the era. Negro Bar was a smaller collection of tents and cabins constructed to shelter those working along the river, which was quickly becoming a hot bed for gold below the hills that were much more populated with miners.The community of Negro Bar was once called "under the hill" after Folsom replaced the old mining camp along the river. Today, that camp lies below the surface of Lake Natoma, a popular destination for water recreationalists today.By the end of 1848, some 10,000 miners from California, Oregon, Hawaii and Mexico were mining in the Sierra foothills. By the summer of 1849, more than 40,000 migrants had trekked to California's gold fields by ship, wagon, horseback or on foot. Often referred to as 49ers, these travelers came from many parts of the United States and the rest of the world and made California one of the first truly multicultural locations in the world at that time.A population of African Americans were among those coming to California at that time. One of the earliest recorded locations worked by African American gold miners was Negro Bar, which received its name because the African Americans were the first to mine the area. The name "Negro Bar," was not the first known reference to the area, early maps, circa 1914 show the area reference using the full unacceptable "N" world which then transitioned into the modified name which has still been considered by some to be offensive. During Friday's meeting many members of the public spoke. Some in support of the name change, others in support of leaving it alone. "Some folks thought that 'Negro' actually is black in Spanish and that that is what it was about, not understanding, every time a Black person passes by that area, they're punched in the face with that word," said Tracie Stafford, chair of Sacramento County's Democratic Party, who has been closely involved in the debate and name change. Over the last two years, local African American resident and historian Michael Harris has been very engaged in the topic of the name change. Harris is not offended by the name and has been advocating to leave it alone, based on its historical value. "If we're going to say the n-word and put a 21st-century context to it, it is disrespectful, nobody's going to be calling us Negro today, but historically, that's what we were," Harris said in his previous media interviews. "The notion of focusing on the name is intentionally disrespectful; it presupposes disparaging treatment," added Harris. "It certainly negates any of the contributions of people of African descent in the Gold Rush era."Rue Mapp, the State Park and Recreation Commission Chair was pleased with the final vote on Friday to move forward with the name change. "As a Black woman who's driven by that site, who's known about that site, it's been difficult," Mapp said. "So, it is both professional and personal pride in the decision we've arrived at today."While the debate on the name has gone on for several years, it didn't take long for State Park officials to modify signage at the entrance of the park prior to the weekend. Now, a white "wrap" style sign covered the previous name and reads "Miners Black Bar." Friday's meeting was surrounded by a pair of events at the recreation site. On Thursday, some took part in tours of the historical area. On Saturday the area was host to a Juneteenth holiday celebration.