Judge Orders Restoration of Slavery Exhibit in Philadelphia

A federal judge in Pennsylvania ordered the National Park Service on Monday to restore a slavery exhibit at a historic site in Philadelphia, issuing a preliminary injunction after the city sued over its removal by federal officials.

The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Philadelphia against the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service, which oversees Independence National Historical Park. The exhibit, located at the Presidents House Site, commemorates the residence of George Washington during his presidency in the late 1700s and highlights the nine enslaved people who lived and worked there. On January 22, 2026, park service officials dismantled 34 educational panels, displays, and video presentations that referenced slavery and the site's role in the transatlantic slave trade, including a plaque titled "The Dirty Business of Slavery."

The removal followed an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2025, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." The order directed federal agencies to eliminate what it described as divisive, race-centered narratives from cultural institutions, including national parks and museums. A Department...