Copyright phillyvoice
An exhibit on nine people enslaved by George Washington while he lived as president in Philadelphia remains in tact at Independence National Historical Park as of Friday, despite efforts from the Trump administration to remove or change its text. The exhibit at the President's House site at Sixth and Market streets was brought into question after Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered a review of any federal display that "disparages Americans past or living" in May. Though the White House has not publically mentioned any Philadelphia sites, "The President's House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation," reportedly was on the chopping block. Michael Coard, a criminal defense lawyer who was among the driving forces behind the exhibit's creation, said there are 13 pieces of information on six panels that are facing scrutiny. The Trump administration said changes to public displays nationwide needed to be made by Sept. 17, but nearly 10 days later, the President's House exhibit remains untouched. Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, Coard said "widespread media reports and enlightened tourist complaints have forced Trump to back off, at least temporarily." Independence National Historical Park has not responded to requests for comment on the future of the exhibit. Coard and an advocacy group known as Avenging the Ancestors Coalition spent years lobbying for the President's House site and its ties to slavery to be commemorated when Independence National Historical Park sought to build the Liberty Bell Center in the early 2000s. The President's House site opened in 2010 and includes information on the slave trade and the names of the people enslaved by Washington. It also notes that Washington cycled the slaves between Philadelphia and Mt. Vernon to skirt Pennsylvania's Gradual Abolition Act of 1780, which required slaveholders to register the names of slaves within six months or they would be freed. Coard said the exhibit does not say anything untrue about the nation's first president. "This is a great site. It's telling the history of America," Coard said. "It doesn't inappropriately disparage anything, and the interesting thing is that neither Trump nor Burgum have said that anything we put there is a lie. They just don't like what it says." After news broke that the exhibit may be changed, many have criticized the move. On Thursday, City Council unanimously passed resolution condemning potential changes as an effort to "whitewash, suppress and rewrite American history." The resolution was introduced by Council President Kenyatta Johnson (D-Second). The President's House was developed in partnership with the city and the National Parks Service. The city's involvement has led some to question whether the federal government has the right to alter the exhibit — Johnson said the land is owned by the city but was leased to the federal government. "For me, that's all the more the reason why we should have a say so and a stake in making sure the exhibit stays there," Johnson said. "So, we're looking at all of our options legally and legislatively to make sure that we keep the exhibit there, and, most importantly, highlighting the fact that we actually own the land and not the federal government." But Johnson said he was unsure whether that played into the decision to leave the exhibit in place or whether the Trump administration has done so due to the public response. He said council members are waiting for any official action before making any further moves. In the interim, he said council is looking into its potential legal options. Coard added that his group, Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, can't take any legal action until there's been irreparable harm, such as removing or changing parts of the exhibit or shutting down the site. But he said his group is ready to file a complaint as soon as that happens. Avenging the Ancestors Coalition also has contacted groups working to protect other exhibits and monuments, Coard said, so even if the Philadelphia site remains safe, the group will work to keep other historic sites intact across the country. "We have reached out to other entities in other places, and other entities in other places have reached out to us," Coard said. "So, no matter what happens or doesn't happen in Philly, the battle is still on."
