Slavery Exhibition Removed at Independence Park in Philadelphia

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Historical exhibitions provide vital context for understanding our own cultures, but under Trump’s presidency, their future in the U.S. may be at risk. Earlier this month, National Park Service staff took down an exhibition on America’s history of slavery at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.

The removal of the informational signs at the President’s House Site, where George Washington lived during his presidency, follows Trump’s executive order targeting information about historic racism, sexism, LGBTQ+ rights, slavery, and climate change.

The exhibition included information on the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, as well as images detailing the poor treatment of the slaves at the time. Following calls from local activists, the display was later expanded to include the histories of the enslaved people who lived at the house, and their stories were preserved in the final exhibition.

Although all of the plaques are now removed, the names of the nine enslaved people who lived at the President’s House are still carved in stone, and it’s unknown if further action will be taken to remove them.

Mijuel K. Johnson was one of the activists who originally worked with the Park Service to develop the exhibition before its opening in 2010. He’s also a tour guide with a focus on Black history and a member of the steering committee of Avenging the Ancestors Coalition. He witnessed the removal of the exhibition and shared the news on Instagram. “I’m infuriated,” he said. “They have taken down every single sign, monitors unplugged, everything.”

In September, President Trump signed an executive order targeting what he called “ideological indoctrination” and “divisive narratives,” explicitly citing Philadelphia’s Independence National Historic Park, where the exhibition was displayed, and the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C.

Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia said the exhibition was “created after years of scholarship and research to make sure we got the story right.” He added, “Today in a matter of minutes it was all ripped down, and presumably put away in storage for who knows how long. It’s a terrible day for American history, it’s a terrible day for Independence National Historical Park. It's a terrible day for our city.”

On January 22, the city of Philadelphia filed a federal lawsuit demanding that the signs be restored. The lawsuit argues that slavery is central to the site’s story, and that there is an agreement to be upheld.

“Let me affirm, for the residents of the city of Philadelphia, that there is a cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government that dates back to 2006,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said during a press conference. “That agreement requires parties to meet and confer if there are to be any changes made to an exhibit.”