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Slavery exhibits removed from The President's House at Independence National Historical Park
National Park Service workers removed slavery exhibits at the President’s House site at Independence National Historical Park on Thursday.
PHILADELPHIA - National Park Service workers removed exhibits at the President’s House site at Independence National Historical Park on Thursday.
The exhibits memorialized nine enslaved people owned by George Washington and addressed the history of slavery in early America.
Federal review and local response to exhibit removal
What we know:
The exhibits were taken down Thursday afternoon by National Park Service workers.
It had served as a memorial to nine documented slaves owned by George Washington and included information about slavery in early U.S. history.
What they're saying:
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
Governor Shapiro posted on X, "Donald Trump will take any opportunity to rewrite and whitewash our history. But he picked the wrong city and he sure as hell picked the wrong commonwealth. We learn from our history in Pennsylvania... even when it’s painful."
The removal follows an order last year from President Donald Trump, who directed that content at national parks that he said "inappropriately disparage" the United States must be reviewed and could be removed.
FOX 29 has reached out to the White House to confirm if this removal was specifically due to that order but has not received a response.
Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson
Council President Johnson released the following statement:
"It is totally unacceptable that the National Park Service, under the direction of President Donald Trump and U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, has removed exhibits about slavery at the President’s House Site in Independence National Historical Park. I am also fully supportive of a lawsuit filed by Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration on this issue. Removing the exhibits is an effort to whitewash American history. History cannot be erased simply because it is uncomfortable. Removing items from the President’s House merely changes the landscape, not the historical record. In December 2025, City Council overwhelmingly supported my Resolution #251075 honoring the Avenging The Ancestors Coalition and its founder, Michael Coard, Esq., on the 15th Anniversary of the grand opening of the Slavery Memorial at the President’s House at Sixth and Market Streets."For the last 15 years, the memorial has served as a public education space, informing visitors about the complicated legacy of the early United States and the resilience of those enslaved. The altering or censoring of the memorial threatens the historical integrity of the site, undermines public understanding of our complete past, and erases the experiences of the enslaved individuals whom the memorial honors. Preserving the memorial is critical to both Philadelphia’s historical landscape and the country’s broader understanding of its founding as the nation celebrates our 250th Anniversary this year."
Attorney Michael Coard
Attorney Coard, who had a hand in the exhibits' placements at the President's House, released the following statement:
"The removal of the informational panels and the potential imminent destruction of the entire President’s House/Slavery Memorial site is historical blasphemy. And it’s unprecedented in the annals of American history. But in the words of ancestor Frederick Douglass, ‘Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!’ And along with those profound words, I add these: ‘Litigate! Litigate! Litigate!’"
City officials review federal agreement on exhibit changes
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said the city has a "cooperative agreement" with the federal government regarding changes to exhibits at Independence National Historical Park.
She said the agreement, which dates back to 2006, requires the government to meet with city officials before making any changes.
What's next:
Mayor Parker said the city’s law department is reviewing the agreement to determine what actions the city can take in response to the exhibit’s removal.
Mayor Parker emphasized the city’s role in discussions about changes to exhibits at Independence National Historical Park and said officials are now considering their options.
What we don't know:
It is not confirmed whether the removal of the exhibit was directly linked to President Trump’s order.
The White House has not responded to requests for comment, and it is unclear what steps the city may take next.
The Source: Information from FOX 29 reporting, statements from Mayor Cherelle Parker and Gov. Josh Shapiro, and the National Park Service.