The National Park Service removed an outdoor slavery exhibit at the President's House Site in Philadelphia after an Interior Department review tied to a presidential directive on interpretive materials. The display documented slavery and George Washington's ownership of enslaved people and was dismantled Thursday, according to footage and activists. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and civil rights groups criticized the action as an attempt to "rewrite and whitewash" history, saying it fits a broader dispute over the administration's approach to diversity and historical interpretation.
U.S. Park Service Removes Slavery Exhibit at Philadelphia’s President’s House After Interior Review
FILE PHOTO: People spend time at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 4, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah Beier/File Photo
WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Staff from the U.S. National Park Service dismantled and removed an outdoor slavery exhibit at the President's House Site in Philadelphia, officials and local activists said, following an Interior Department review tied to a presidential directive on interpretive materials.
The display, located within Independence National Historical Park where George Washington lived while Philadelphia briefly served as the nation’s capital, documented the history of slavery and noted Washington's ownership of enslaved people. Media footage and activists reported the outdoor exhibit was taken down on Thursday.
"The President has directed federal agencies to review interpretive materials to ensure accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values," the Interior Department — which oversees the National Park Service — told Reuters in response to questions about the removal.
"Following completion of the required review, the National Park Service is now taking action to remove or revise interpretive materials in accordance with the Order."
As of late Thursday, the President's House website still described its "outdoor exhibits [as] examin[ing] the paradox between slavery and freedom in the new nation."
The move comes after an executive order from President Donald Trump last year that directed federal agencies to reassess how historical and cultural content is presented. The president has criticized what he describes as a "false revision of history" and complained publicly about what he sees as an excessive focus on "how bad slavery was."
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro condemned the removal after video of the dismantling circulated, saying: "Trump will take any opportunity to rewrite and whitewash our history." Civil rights groups also criticized the action, arguing it fits into a broader pattern of rolling back diversity initiatives and undermining public acknowledgment of difficult chapters in U.S. history.
Critics point to other administration actions — including immigration crackdowns, challenges to diversity programs, and temporary funding freezes at universities amid campus protests — as evidence of a broader shift in federal policy and priorities. Supporters of the review argue it aims to ensure historical interpretations align with shared national values and factual accuracy.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by William Mallard)
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