Philadelphia Sues Interior Over Removal Of Slavery Exhibit
City seeks injunction to restore panels that listed nine people enslaved by the Washingtons at the President's House Site.
Overview
Philadelphia sued Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron in federal court, seeking a preliminary injunction to restore slavery panels removed from the President's House Site, court filings show.
The Interior Department said the panels were removed pursuant to Executive Order No. 14253, signed by President Donald Trump in March, directing agencies to review interpretive materials for accuracy and "alignment with shared national values."
Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson called the removals an effort to "whitewash American history," while the Interior Department called the city's lawsuit "frivolous" and defended the removals, officials said.
The removed display listed names and biographical details of the nine people enslaved by George and Martha Washington at the President's House Site, which is part of Independence National Historical Park, the lawsuit says.
The city seeks a preliminary injunction to restore the panels and enforce the management partnership's shared-design approval, court filings say, while the Interior Department declined to say what will replace the displays.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by foregrounding critics and emotional imagery, emphasizing accusations of 'whitewashing history' and visible removal scenes while giving relatively brief space to the Interior Department's defense. The coverage elevates condemnatory voices and evocative descriptions, creating an overall narrative that portrays the removals as an assault on historical truth.
Sources (10)
FAQ
Executive Order No. 14253, signed by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2025, titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' directs federal agencies to review interpretive materials at museums, parks, and landmarks for accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values.
The panels listed the names and biographical details of the nine people enslaved by George and Martha Washington at the President's House Site, including Oney Judge who escaped to freedom, and provided a timeline of slavery in the US and Philadelphia.
The lawsuit names Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron.
The Interior Department called the city's lawsuit 'frivolous' and defended the removals as required by the executive order to ensure interpretive materials align with accuracy and shared national values.
Critics, including Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Rep. Dwight Evans, accuse the Trump administration of whitewashing American history by erasing uncomfortable truths about slavery.
History
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