Buddy Jones and Friends Touring Co.

Some years ago I owned a small minority business known as  Buddy’s  Contracting  Service.  Over the years we completed millions of dollars in Federal construction projects.  I am very proud of all our projects, but I feel that the ones we completed in the National Parks were our finest work.  Between projects done in  Yosemite to the Sequoia National Park, the best example of our work was the restoration of the Giant Forest, and the  remodeling  of the Sequoia Museum.  Both projects represent a wonderful commitment to the preservation of our National  Parks.  It has been 14 years since we have worked for the Park  service, yet we have never received any acknowledgment from the Parks (good or bad) for the historic work contribution that we made.  If history repeats itself, as it often does, the contribution made by Buddy's Contracting Service will fade into the archives of the Parks history ledgers.

In my effort to to highlight and preserve our vitally important work, I am now in the process of organizing an African American owned and operated  touring and sightseeing company.  We will be bringing people to the parks to show our amazing work as well as highlight the well renowned and historic contributions made over the past century by a by other amazing African Americans.   

For a  number of weeks I decided not to start my day off looking at the news.  It is not a good way to start the day for me.  The other day,  I did, and it was a mistake. The first thing to appear was a father being torn from his family to be deported  under new  immigration laws. I immediately felt a burning sensation in my stomach. Why do this to a family man who has been in this country for 30 years, who hadn’t  committed a crime?  Then said to myself, “We are losing our hearts and souls  in this country.”   I reviewed the photo again and realized that my
grandmother was born a slave and I that am only two generations removed from what the president has referred to as shithole people.  He would rather have people from Norway around him, he said, meaning that he wishes I would go away .

Guess what, I am  not going anywhere.

While this project has been on my mind for the future, President Trump’s remarks about shithole people has motivated to move on this now.  It had been  my intention to start my tours in June of  2018, but if I can raise $15.000.00 in the next 30 days, Buddy Jones and Friends will start touring these historic sites by the end of February 2018.   We have lined up a beautiful Mercedes 12 passenger touring van as well as drivers facilitate this operation.  The use of the funds will be for a two-fold purpose.  The first is the necessary start-up capital.  The second will allow us to offer trip to some who could not otherwise afford to see this amazing legacy that we have created.  Normally a person like myself would be long gone and forgotten before the public becomes aware of their contributions, if ever.  However, I am alive and well, and I want to show the people of the world our work with in the National Parks, especially  people of color.


 Please join me to help show all people that they are part of  the fabric that makes the parks possible.   Please make a contribution and make this touring company a education and reality for all of us.


Humbly, Buddy Jones