Philadelphia pushes back against scrubbing of slavery from National Park signs

History is a hot topic in the City of Philadelphia right now. 

Featuring several significant sites and historymakers’ homes, Philadelphia is at a crossroads of accountability as President Donald Trump’s administration continues its crackdown on historic landmarks and signage it deems “disparaging” of the country’s founders and not reflective of “shared national values.”

Orders from the administration and Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to review materials at historical sites resulted in thirteen items across six displays – all pertaining to slavery – at the President’s House at Independence Park getting flagged by park staff. 

Advocates, activists and lawmakers have since made their voices heard and are working to keep the city’s historical sites intact – or even highlighting what they see as the nation’s history and impact. Here’s a breakdown of the issue and where it stands in Philadelphia: 

Federal fissure

In March, Trump signed an executive order calling for National Park workers to flag any displays that question conventional understandings of  the country’s past, with a goal of removing “disparaging” history elements by Sept. 17. The executive order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” was described by the Trump administration as an effort to counter recent interpretations of the nation’s history that were based on left-wing ideology, with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum saying National Park signs should “focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.” 

That notion flew in the face of many Philadelphians’ and historians’ more nuanced appreciation of sites ranging from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell to the former home of President George Washington. 

But what about Washington’s history?

The stories of enslaved people kept by Washington are a prominent part of the display at the President’s House near 6th and Market Streets. History says Washington kept nine enslaved people in his house and made sure they couldn’t petition for freedom. 

The outdoor memorial, titled President’s House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation, opened in 2010 after years of advocacy efforts and research confirmed that Washington enslaved nine people at the site. The exhibit includes interpretive panels and multimedia displays highlighting the lives of enslaved individuals. 

Philly’s fervent feedback

The presidential push saw immediate pushback from Philadelphians. In the past month, advocates have held rallies and town halls, and 45 historical organizations signed on to a letter addressed to Burgum opposing any alterations. 

And last Friday, in response to Burgum’s visit to Independence Mall to shoot a video and enjoy a private tour, organizers held a silent vigil to protest calls to remove historical context from the sites. 

Michael Coard, a Philadelphia attorney, is a leader of Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, an organization of Black historians, religious leaders and community activists, which held the Sept. 13 rally to oppose potential changes to the site. Coard, who called the Trump administration’s order “historical blasphemy,” said the group is focused on turning part of the President’s House site into a slavery memorial, arguing the portrayal of Washington and the historical site should tell the whole truth. 

“Our argument was that George Washington has more monuments and memorials in America than any other American,” Coard said at a rally last week. “So if George Washington got all that attention then, we need to get some attention now.”

Council’s call out

Philadelphia City Council discussed the issue Thursday, condemning not only the effort to remove references to slavery at historical sites, but also Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to other American cities. 

Lawmakers unanimously backed a resolution introduced by Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson, on behalf of Council President Kenyatta Johnson, condemning the administration’s attempts to “whitewash history” by seeking to remove some slavery-related content from historical sites, including in Philadelphia.

The resolution “condemns President Donald Trump’s recent efforts to whitewash, suppress, and rewrite American history by removing slavery-related content from national parks – including an exhibit at Independence National Historical Park honoring the nine individuals enslaved by President George Washington, developed by the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, thereby attempting to erase Black history from the national narrative.”

And while resolutions are largely symbolic, and the mayor does not need to take a position on them by signing or vetoing them, the resolution received support from Brian O’Neill, Council’s lone Republican, who represents parts of Northeast Philadelphia, revealing the widespread support for the city’s historic sites. 

What’s next

Although the deadline to address “disparaging” signs was last week, Philadelphia’s tourism attractions remain largely untouched by National Parks staff. As of Sept. 26, no displays appear to have been removed from Independence Mall, including the President’s House and Liberty Bell Center. 

Some look at the federal administration’s moves as a means of rewriting history, while others see it as a chance to update historical sites and exhibit some of the positive things the country’s founders did during the inception of the nation. 

Coard also said he and a steering committee are working together, alongside legal experts, to ensure the President’s House remains unaltered. 

In City Hall, Johnson said the city owns the land where the President’s House sits, and leases it to the federal government. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Johnson suggested that could provide the city with some leverage, and he said Council would “exhaust all of our options from a legal standpoint.”