politics
Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Replace Slavery Exhibit at President's House
A federal appeals court ruled the Trump administration can remove and replace the outdoor slavery memorial at Independence National Historical Park. The decision overturns a February order that required restoration of removed panels.
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A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration can remove and replace the outdoor slavery memorial at the President's House site in Philadelphia. The unanimous decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a February district court order that had required the National Park Service to restore panels removed from the exhibit.
The memorial, titled "From Enslavement to Emancipation," opened in 2010 and tells the stories of nine people enslaved by George Washington.
The National Park Service removed the exhibit in January. Some panels were restored in February after the district court ruling, but large-format metal panels remained out of place. The city of Philadelphia sued in January, arguing that the removals violated a 2006 agreement with the National Park Service and various federal laws.
The appeals court found the city had standing to sue but ruled its contract and statutory claims lacked merit.
The Trump administration stated in a Wednesday court filing that the removed panels "disparage" Americans. It cited a March 27, 2025, executive order directing removal of content that casts U.S. founding principles in a negative light. Proposed replacement panels were posted online in April.
