Philadelphia sues Trump administration over removal of long-standing slavery exhibit from historic park

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

PUBLISHED Jan 23, 2026, 3:39 AM ET


The City of Philadelphia is suing the Trump administration after the National Park Service removed a long-standing exhibit on slavery in the city’s Independence National Historical Park. The lawsuit, filed in federal court Thursday against the US Interior Department, Secretary Doug Burgum, the park service and its acting director Jessica Bowron, asks for a judge to issue a preliminary injunction to return the displays.

The exhibit, located at the President’s House Site where Presidents George Washington and John Adams lived, features displays honoring individuals enslaved by Washington and a historical timeline of American slavery.

Video from CNN-affiliate WPVI shows work crews dismantling large display panels at the site on Thursday afternoon. “The interpretive displays relating to enslaved persons at President’s House are an integral part of the exhibit and removing them would be a material alteration to the exhibit,” attorneys for the city said in the filing.

The exhibit’s removal comes as the Trump administration continues its campaign to purge cultural institutions of materials that conflict with the president’s political directives.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/23/politics/philadelphia-sues-nps-removal-slavery-exhibit

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REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143603365


This would be like a GIGANTIC First Amendment issue.

Michael Coard, lawyer, columist, and activist, was the primary one battling to get this whole President's House thing up and running for decades.

Link to tweet

Michael Coard
@MichaelCoard
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👀🗣️🎯🔥👊🏾❗️The President’s House/Slavery Memorial in Philadelphia is being dismantled and destroyed by the federal government today (Thurs., 1/22). But you can resurrect it. Here’s how:
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11:17 PM · Jan 22, 2026

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Kenyatta Johnson
@CouncilmemberKJ
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My statement on the removal of exhibits from the President's House in Old City.
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9:52 PM · Jan 22, 2026

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Governor Josh Shapiro
@GovernorShapiro
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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.
Philadelphia Inquirer Politics
@PoliticsINQ
The National Park Service has started dismantling exhibits about slavery at the President’s House in Independence National Historical Park.
Embedded video
7:20 PM · Jan 22, 2026

[SunSeeker]

1. Hopefully they did not damage the displays as they went at them with crowbars.

Destruction of federal property is illegal!

[Wuddles440]

2. Plus it appears that they have...

a crew of all white guys aggressively ripping the exhibits down. Got to love these racists f**ks.

[riversedge]

3. Mayor off Philly: "Let me affirm for the residents of the city of Philadelphia that there is a cooperative agreement bet

They took this exhibit down like they did the East wing---quick before anyone knows anything about the plans.



https://abcnews.go.com/US/philadelphia-sues-trump-admin-removal-memorial-honoring-people/story?id=129497953

...........Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker addressed the lawsuit during a Friday press conference, where she was asked by a reporter to respond to the exhibit's removal.

"Let me affirm for the residents of the city of Philadelphia that there is a cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government that dates back to 2006. That agreement requires parties to meet and confer if there are to be any changes made to an exhibit," Parker said, adding that her office will keep the public posted as legal action moves forward.

ABC News reached out to Parker's office for further comment.

Through the lawsuit, the city of Philadelphia seeks a court order restoring the slavery memorial, a preliminary injunction to block other potential changes to the President's House and a permanent injunction blocking further changes to the exhibit.