I have never been camping. I never want to go camping. I enjoy vacations involving fluffy beds, shopping, delicious restaurants, and preferably a beach of some sort. There is little about a tent, mosquitoes, extreme heat (or cold) and RVs that interest me. Is my camping aversion a racial thing? I want to say no, but… it’s certainly not a long shot to suggest such a thing.

Ask the folks at the National African-American RVers Association. The small group of black (with some Hispanic and a few white) campers is trying to introduce the joys of camping to non-whites. It’s an uphill battle. The organization has little money to advertise or recruit new members. But participants have a lot of theories about why black people are less likely to enjoy camping.

CONTINUED »