Federal government installs reworked panels about slavery at George Washington's Philadelphia home

Federal authorities installed revised historical panels about slavery at the site of President George Washington’s former home in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The panels replaced previous displays that detailed the presence of enslaved individuals at the property during the late 18th century. The change follows a directive from the Trump administration to revise content at federally managed historical sites to align with a more positive narrative of American history. The original panels, which were first displayed in 2010, outlined the lives of nine enslaved people who resided at the house alongside Washington and his wife, Martha, during the 1790s. These panels were later altered in response to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in 2025. The order instructed federal agencies to avoid presenting information that might disparage Americans, past or present, and instead highlight the country’s achievements and progress. In February, a lower court ordered the removal of the newly installed panels, citing concerns over their content. However, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that ruling on July 3, allowing the panels to remain in place. The decision came after the federal government had already begun installing them earlier in the year. According to images posted on a government website, the new panels retain information about enslaved individuals who lived at the home, including details on the abolitionist movement, the treatment of slavery within the U.S. Constitution, the end of slavery in Pennsylvania, and the perspectives of Washington and his successor, John Adams, on the issue. The panels also reference the 20th-century Civil Rights movement. Despite these elements, the new displays omit certain details that were included in the original panels. For instance, they do not feature a map of slave trade routes or a timeline detailing the history of slavery in America. Additionally, they exclude the provocative title “The Dirty Business of Slavery,” which was part of the earlier exhibits. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker criticized the installation, stating that the federal government removed the panels overnight, suggesting the action was done discreetly due to its controversial nature. She noted that while the court permitted the change, the timing implied an awareness of the public backlash against the move. The city of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s actions, arguing that the administration should have consulted local officials before altering the historical narratives at the President’s House Site. The Justice Department defended the decision, asserting that the administration has sole authority over the content of National Park Service properties. Legal representatives for the city plan to request a rehearing of the appellate court’s decision, focusing on unresolved legal questions regarding the management of historical narratives at national sites. Michael Coard, an attorney with the Avenging The Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), expressed concern over the broader implications of the policy. He emphasized that the current approach risks erasing important parts of American history, potentially leading to further revisions of other historically significant landmarks. Coard suggested hypothetical scenarios in which future administrations might alter other symbols of American heritage, such as the Liberty Bell or the Statue of Liberty, based on political preferences. This raises questions about the long-term impact of the current policy on historical education and public memory.