Slavery Memorial Removed at Independence National Historic Park

The National Park Service has recently dismantled exhibits about slavery at the President’s House in Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia.

The president and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered content at national parks that “inappropriately disparage” the U.S. to be reviewed and potentially removed.

This “content” highlighted the lives of nine enslaved individuals who worked for President George Washington, were removed on Thursday (January 22). The decision has sparked significant controversy, with critics accusing the move of attempting to “whitewash” American history.

The city of Philadelphia has responded by filing a lawsuit against the Interior Secretary and the acting National Park Service Director, arguing that the removal erases critical narratives about the nation’s history.

Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson emphasized that while history can be uncomfortable, it cannot be removed.

“Removing the exhibits is an effort to whitewash American history. History cannot be erased simply because it is uncomfortable. Removing items from the President’s House merely changes the landscape, not the historical record,” Philadelphia council member Kenyatta Johnson wrote in a statement reacting to the incident.

The dismantling has reignited debates about how the United States confronts and preserves its complex history.