Philadelphia's Attempt to Restore Slavery Exposés Rebuffed by Trump Administration, Feds Suggest Focusing on City's Jobless Rate
The city of Philadelphia has taken its battle over the removal of historical exhibits on slavery from Independence National Historical Park to the federal court, but it appears that the Trump administration is not willing to back down.
In a statement released on Friday, an Interior Department spokesperson suggested that Philadelphia focus on improving its jobless rate and ending its "reckless" cashless bail policy instead of pursuing a lawsuit over the exhibits. The move was seen as inflammatory by city officials, who characterized the removal of the signs as "arbitrary and capricious."
The lawsuit filed by City Solicitor Renee Garcia argues that the Trump administration breached a cooperative agreement between the city and the National Park Service when they removed the exhibits without Philadelphia's approval. The exhibits told the personal stories of enslaved people and detailed the history of the slave trade in America.
Washington, who was the first president of the United States, owned nine slaves at his former executive mansion, located in Philadelphia before it moved to Washington. However, the Trump administration had planned to remove the displays about slavery from the park, citing an executive order that directed agencies to review text at public parks and monuments for "divisive narratives."
Philadelphia officials are seeking a court order requiring the Interior Department and NPS to return the signs, as well as an injunction that would prevent the agencies from damaging the displays or removing them again without following relevant agreements and laws.
The city's mayor, Cherelle Parker, expressed support for the lawsuit, stating that it was necessary to enforce a cooperative agreement between the city and the National Park Service. "That agreement requires parties to meet and confer if there are to be any changes made to an exhibit," she said.
Meanwhile, the Interior Department has defended its actions as part of a broader effort to review and revise interpretive materials at public parks and monuments. However, critics argue that the move is part of a broader effort to erase history and promote a preferred narrative.
The jobless rate in Philadelphia remains a pressing issue, with over 14% of residents currently unemployed. The city's cashless bail policy has also been criticized for disproportionately affecting low-income communities.
It appears that the Trump administration is taking a hardline stance against cities like Philadelphia that are pushing back against its policies. As one critic noted, "The city's right to approve the exhibit's final design, including the interpretive displays, would be meaningless if the NPS could at any time later change or remove the displays without the City's approval."
The city of Philadelphia has taken its battle over the removal of historical exhibits on slavery from Independence National Historical Park to the federal court, but it appears that the Trump administration is not willing to back down.
In a statement released on Friday, an Interior Department spokesperson suggested that Philadelphia focus on improving its jobless rate and ending its "reckless" cashless bail policy instead of pursuing a lawsuit over the exhibits. The move was seen as inflammatory by city officials, who characterized the removal of the signs as "arbitrary and capricious."
The lawsuit filed by City Solicitor Renee Garcia argues that the Trump administration breached a cooperative agreement between the city and the National Park Service when they removed the exhibits without Philadelphia's approval. The exhibits told the personal stories of enslaved people and detailed the history of the slave trade in America.
Washington, who was the first president of the United States, owned nine slaves at his former executive mansion, located in Philadelphia before it moved to Washington. However, the Trump administration had planned to remove the displays about slavery from the park, citing an executive order that directed agencies to review text at public parks and monuments for "divisive narratives."
Philadelphia officials are seeking a court order requiring the Interior Department and NPS to return the signs, as well as an injunction that would prevent the agencies from damaging the displays or removing them again without following relevant agreements and laws.
The city's mayor, Cherelle Parker, expressed support for the lawsuit, stating that it was necessary to enforce a cooperative agreement between the city and the National Park Service. "That agreement requires parties to meet and confer if there are to be any changes made to an exhibit," she said.
Meanwhile, the Interior Department has defended its actions as part of a broader effort to review and revise interpretive materials at public parks and monuments. However, critics argue that the move is part of a broader effort to erase history and promote a preferred narrative.
The jobless rate in Philadelphia remains a pressing issue, with over 14% of residents currently unemployed. The city's cashless bail policy has also been criticized for disproportionately affecting low-income communities.
It appears that the Trump administration is taking a hardline stance against cities like Philadelphia that are pushing back against its policies. As one critic noted, "The city's right to approve the exhibit's final design, including the interpretive displays, would be meaningless if the NPS could at any time later change or remove the displays without the City's approval."
! The Trump administration is basically trying to erase history and it's just not cool 
. I mean, come on, we need to learn from our past mistakes, right? 
These exhibits were like, super important for the black community in Philly and now they're being taken away without even a peep from the city council 
. It's all about politics and power struggles, not about preserving history or respecting the culture 
. The fact that they're shifting focus to jobless rates is just ridiculous 
. Who cares about jobs when we can't even acknowledge our dark past? 
the city needs to keep pushing back on this, it's not just about the exhibits, it's about maintaining a truthful representation of america's past. and yeah, the jobless rate is a legit issue, but can't we tackle that while also preserving our history at the same time? 
They're basically saying that Philly should focus on their jobless rate instead of preserving their cultural heritage. Like, what even is that? 
That's like saying that just because Philly is struggling economically, they should give up on preserving their history. It's not fair and it's so frustrating! 
This is a huge deal, not just for Philly but for the whole country - we can't let our history be erased! 
it's like, yeah the city has its problems but erasing black history isn't the solution. 
let cities handle their own affairs, don't try to silence them, especially when it comes to education.
these exhibits are meant to educate people about what went down in america, not just focus on the economy. and cashless bail policy is also a huge issue, especially for low-income communities... it feels like trump admin is more concerned with appeasing certain groups than actually making progress. 