The National Park Service has removed a slavery exhibit at a historic site in Philadelphia marking where President George Washington lived when the city was an early U.S. capital, following a directive from President Trump to eliminate materials that promote what his administration calls “corrosive ideology.” The outdoor display had interpreted the contrast between slavery and freedom at Washington’s residence, a location sometimes described as the nation’s first “White House” before the capital moved to Washington, D.C.
The exhibit, titled “Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation,” memorialized nine people enslaved by Washington during his time in Philadelphia. Park Service descriptions explained the paradox of founding a nation predicated on liberty while simultaneously practicing slavery. Panels from the exhibit were taken down this week, and images of the removal circulated widely on social media.
Trump’s executive order, issued in March 2025 and titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” directed the Park Service to review materials at national historic sites. The order instructs that federal historical content should emphasize the achievements and progress of the American people and avoid messages that “inappropriately disparage Americans.” Independence National Historical Park was specifically cited in the directive for promoting what Trump’s administration described as corrosive interpretations of U.S. history.
Supporters of the exhibit condemned the removal. Michael Coard, a founding member of the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, called the action “historically outrageous and blatantly racist.” His group had advocated for recognition of enslaved people at the site, noting that Washington enslaved hundreds of Black men, women, and children at his Mount Vernon plantation.
Critics of the Park Service’s decision also point to other changes implemented under Trump’s policy. Merchandise related to diversity, equity, and inclusion was removed from park gift shops, and free national park entry days honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Juneteenth were eliminated, though other holidays remain free.
Defenders of the new policy argue that focusing on positive aspects of American history does not equate to ignoring its complexities. Some historians note that the founding generation grappled with slavery and that compromises were part of forming a unified republic. University of Texas historian Steven Mintz has explained that concessions on slavery were seen by many framers as necessary to secure support from southern states for a strong central government.
Trump’s executive order frames historical interpretation as a matter of national unity and pride. It asserts that federal historical sites should serve as uplifting reminders of America’s heritage and progress, reinforcing narratives of liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing rather than narratives grounded in ideological critique.
The removal of the slavery panels at the Philadelphia site is likely to fuel ongoing debates over how American history should be presented on public lands, particularly with election year politics and cultural conflicts at the forefront of national discourse.
