Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Replace Washington Slavery Exhibit in Philadelphia
A unanimous federal appeals court panel ruled on June 18 that the Trump administration can proceed with replacing a slavery exhibit at George Washington’s former Philadelphia residence, striking down a lower court’s injunction that had required the National Park Service to reinstall interpretive panels about the nine enslaved people Washington kept at the property. The decision by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals marks the latest development in a contentious legal battle over how American history is presented at National Park Service sites.
The Ruling
The three-judge panel, in an opinion written by Judge Thomas Hardiman (a George W. Bush appointee), found that Philadelphia’s contract claims did not give the city veto power over changes to exhibits at the President’s House Site in Independence National Historical Park. The court rejected the city’s argument that a longstanding cooperation agreement required federal consultation before making alterations.
“The duty to ‘maintain’ is better understood as a general management obligation that accompanies ownership, not a promise that the exhibits will forever remain in place regardless of the owner’s wishes,” Hardiman wrote, according to AP News.
The panel also praised the administration’s proposed replacement panels, writing that they “are full of historical context” and “acknowledge the evil of slavery, including its injustices and hypocrisies, and, by telling the story of the nine slaves that Washington kept in the President’s House, remind us of their essential humanity,” as The Washington Times reported.
Background of the Dispute
The outdoor exhibit at the President’s House Site — located near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall — opened in 2010 after years of advocacy by community groups, particularly the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC). It was the first slave memorial of its kind on federal property in U.S. history. Philadelphia contributed $1.5 million toward its creation.
The National Park Service removed the explanatory panels in January 2026 in response to President Trump’s March 2025 executive order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which directed the removal of content that “inappropriately disparages Americans past or living” from national parks and historic sites. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum subsequently ordered the removal of “improper partisan ideology” from federal museums and landmarks.
The City of Philadelphia sued in January, arguing the federal government was required to consult with the city before making changes. A lower court judge issued an injunction in February requiring the NPS to reinstall the panels, but work paused after about half the large panels had been restored.
Reactions
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker vowed to continue the legal fight, writing on Instagram: “We cannot and WILL not rest until the full story of American history – including the existence of Slavery at the President’s House here in Philadelphia – is told, for our Nation and the World to see.”
Dawn Chavous, a volunteer for ATAC, expressed disappointment but said the group is considering its legal options. “For decades, ATAC has worked to ensure that the stories of the enslaved African descendants who lived and labored at the President’s House are not erased, overlooked, or misrepresented,” the group said in a statement.
Michael Coard, a lawyer and activist who advocated for the exhibit’s creation, previously told NPR/WGLT: “It was the grand opening of the first slave memorial of its kind on federal property in the history of the U.S. We thought it would last forever. But 15 years later, the destruction came.”
Broader Legal Landscape
The Philadelphia ruling comes just days after a separate federal judge in Massachusetts issued a nationwide preliminary injunction ordering the Trump administration to restore changes made at national parks under the same executive order. Judge Angel Kelley called the administration’s efforts an attempt “to rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen,” as CBS News reported.
It remains unclear how the conflicting rulings will be reconciled. The federal government has asked for a stay on the Massachusetts ruling while it appeals.
What’s Next
The dispute carries heightened significance as Philadelphia prepares to host major celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4, 2026. Activists had hoped to have the full exhibit restored by that date. The city may appeal the 3rd Circuit’s ruling to the full circuit court or the Supreme Court, while the conflicting rulings in Philadelphia and Massachusetts create legal uncertainty for other national park sites where changes have been made or are planned under the executive order.
The case underscores deep national divisions over how to present the full complexity of American history — including the institution of slavery — at public sites and monuments.