The President’s House site in particular but also other Independence National Historical Park (INHP) sites are under revisionism threat by the current administration. The process of removing flagged materials deemed inappropriate was scheduled to begin September 17, but did not occur until January 22, 2026.
For the past several years, particularly since COVID, the Board of the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) has been making a concerted effort to provide our members with the information they need to tell accurate, inclusive history. As an association of tour guides, we unequivocally stand for whole, complete, warts-and-all truth telling in history. The history of the United States is the history of ALL Americans.
What can APT do? We came up with some ideas at a brainstorming meeting.
— Organize ‘teach-ins’ to tell Black history at INHP. Our next event, HISTORY MATTERS: Free Talks with Tour Guides, is Saturday, March 21, 2026. We plan to hold these every third Saturday. Guides will be stationed at five spots around Independence National Historical Park (INHP): President’s House, Liberty Bell, Congress Hall, Independence Hall, and Old City Hall to give 5-10 minute spiels on Black and other underrepresented history as people congregate. APT held its first Talk on September 20 (Read the press release). Additional Talks were held on October 25, January 24, and February 21. All are welcome!
— Offer complimentary tours to city, state, and federal elected officials. Twenty-three guides offered to give free tours to City Council members as well as state and federal house and senate representatives for the Philadelphia area. Gift certificates have gone out to all of them (55 total) along with the APT statement in support of truth telling in history and a list of suggestions to improve Philly for the “Ring It On” celebrations of 2026.
— A group of APT members worked together to prepare a statement to post on the APT website and share with elected officials. Read it here.
— Before the August monthly meeting, APT member Charlene Mires led a tour of the President’s House site, paying particular attention to the exhibits flagged for possible removal. It was well-attended – check out the photos!
These ideas are probably not going to change the presidential administration’s decisions, but they give APT opportunities to showcase our members’ talents while promoting true, complicated, nuanced history in our favorite national park. Bigger advocacy efforts are being led by ATAC, Sierra Club, and other groups – APT will join in their efforts for greater impact whenever possible.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
- Sign the petition: Restore the President’s House Slavery Memorial
- Sign up for an action team with ATAC
- Volunteer for Old City Remembers: Take a shift at the President’s House site reading text from the panels.
- Leave feedback for the NPS. If everyone floods them with feedback, it might make a difference.
- Check out the resource materials on the advocacy pages of the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) website.
- Check out the website devoted to protecting the President’s House site and keep up on all the initiatives. APT is listed as an ‘alliance advocate.
THE LATEST
Judge Cynthia Rufe ordered the National Park Service to restore the President’s House site to its physical status as of January 21, 2026 by Friday, February 20. The Park began to comply (16 of the 34 panels are restored and all but one of the videos are back on), but the federal government’s motion for a ‘stay of judgment’ was granted on Friday before Judge Rufe’s deadline.
From a summary by Paul Steinke of The Preservation Alliance:
In case you missed the news, late on Friday afternoon (February 20) a Federal appeals court judge paused the injunction ordering the restoration of the President’s House site. The judge’s order essentially freezes the site in its current state: no further restoration is required, nothing can be removed, and no new exhibits may be installed while the City of Philadelphia’s lawsuit is pending.
Judge Rufe’s full ruling
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- Trump administration doesn’t need to restore more President’s House exhibits for now, appeals court says
- Pennsylvania Abolition Society. Statement in support of restoring the President’s House panels.
- How a Black history tour kept the story of the President’s House alive after the Trump administration tried to erase it. Kudos to APT corporate member The Black Journey with Mijuel Johnson featured in the article!
- Panels about George Washington’s slaves reinstalled at President’s House site on Independence Mall
- Coalition Files Lawsuit to Challenge Censorship, Erasure of American History and Science at National Parks
- Examples of Censorship from National Parks Conservation Association et. al. v. Department of the Interior, et. al.
- Federal judge orders Trump administration to restore slavery exhibits to the President’s House. The fight is far from over but we’ll take a win for now! Shout out to Mijuel Johnson of APT corporate member The Black Journey quoted in the article.
- Trump administration ordered to restore George Washington slavery exhibit it removed in Philadelphia
- President’s House – Timeline of Events
- Presidents’ Day celebrated enslavement of Black bodies, by Michael Coard, Esq., The Philadelphia Tribune, February 20.
- Article from the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum on the President’s House site
- Several APT members came out for the rally on February 10 to support ATAC’s effort to get the interpretive panels restored at the President’s House. APT members were speakers at the event as well: Mijuel Johnson of The Black Journey, Rev. Cavaness of Mother Bethel, and Stephen Pierce. Well done! Check out the photos.
- The city has sued the administration, demanding that the President’s House site be restored. ATAC and APT corporate member The Black Journey added an amicus brief. Read a report of the first day in court on Friday, January 30, by APT member Thomas Leist who attended, with some input from member Mike Heaney.
- President’s House slavery exhibits were ‘not destroyed’ in storage, judge says after inspection. Shout out to Mijuel Johnson of APT corporate member The Black Journey who gave an impromptu tour to the judge!
- Trump administration reveals location of dismantled slavery exhibits from the President’s House in new legal filing. The President’s House exhibits are being kept in National Park Service custody at the National Constitution Center, according to a legal filing from the U.S. attorneys representing the administration.
- Judge calls Justice Department’s statements on slavery exhibit display ‘dangerous’ and ‘horrifying’
- Gov. Shapiro joins Philadelphia in lawsuit fighting slavery memorial’s removal
- More history exhibits pulled from national parks, including Grand Canyon
- ‘Stand up, fight back, and resist’: Activist who helped shape President’s House rallies new fight after the site was dismantled. Michael Coard, an attorney and founding member of Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), pledged to restore the slavery memorial at the President’s House site. Featuring a quote from Rev. Cavaness of APT corporate member Mother Bethel AME Church AND a photo of APT member Michael Carver during Saturday’s ‘History Matters: Free Talks with Tour Guides.’
- Statement on the Freedom and Slavery Exhibit Removal at Independence National Historical Park by the Organization of American Historians (OAH)
- What just happened at the President’s House? Philadelphians are grappling with the aftermath of Thursday’s abrupt removal of all exhibits at the President’s House ahead of 250th anniversary celebrations.
- Park Service removes slavery exhibit at Independence Park in Philadelphia. Park staff dismantled an exhibit about George Washington’s slave ownership amid a wider push to remove information on racism, sexism, and climate change (Washington Post). Shout out to Mijuel Johnson of APT corporate member The Black Journey.
- The slavery exhibits at the President’s House have been removed following Trump administration push Featuring Mijuel Johnson of APT corporate member The Black Journey.
- Here are the signs the Trump administration removed from Independence Park. Note: The article discusses which panels were flagged for review and why, but ALL of the panels were removed from the President’s House site, including the ones around the glass walls that described the archaeological dig and all of the panels describing the videos.
- Why was the slavery exhibit removed from the President’s House? A historian gives context.
- We’ve Never Agreed About George Washington and Slavery, Time Magazine, January 23, 2026.
- City Council condemns President Trump’s plans to alter President’s House Site slavery exhibit
- Letter opposing changes at the President’s House prepared by the Preservation Alliance and containing 45 signatories
- In Philadelphia, opponents gather for silent protest to administration’s plans to remove President’s House exhibits. On September 19, organizers from ATAC held a vigil and attempted to present Interior Secretary Doug Burgum with a letter asking the administration not to censor history. APT member Stephen Pierce attempts to address the secretary.
- APT Truth Talks get a shout out in the City Cast “Hey Philly” Daily Guide (scroll down to “National Park Service to Remove Several Exhibits Depicting Slavery”).
- National Park to remove photo of enslaved man’s scars, Washington Post article that includes information on Independence National Historical Park (INHP)
- Philly slave memorial supporters vow to fight as its fate could be decided soon, featuring members of ATAC and Mijuel Johnson of APT corporate member The Black Journey (on September 13 ATAC rally).
- Removing or editing Philly slavery exhibits is ‘un-American’ 45 local historical groups tell Trump’s interior secretary – APT is a signatory to this letter prepared and circulated by the Preservation Alliance.
- Philly activists rally to protect President’s House history as Trump deadline to remove exhibits depicting slavery nears, September 13
- The President’s House site overflows with dichotomies. Here’s how we can tell all of its sweeping and incongruous history
- DAG and @kellymaielloarchitects teamed up to address the administration’s attack on the President’s House exhibit
- Coalition makes plan for if slavery memorial is removed from Independence Mall
- Trump’s attempts to hide the unpleasant truths about our actual history are the real disparagement
- The future of more than a dozen slavery displays at Independence Park remains in limbo as Trump’s review deadline passes
- Exploring, Enjoying, and Protecting our National Parks – Sierra Club blog post on day of action earlier in August at Valley Forge Park
- Trump’s attempts to hide the unpleasant truths about our actual history are the real disparagement – 8/14/25 Inquirer Article
ATAC ADVOCACY
Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), the organization that spearheaded getting the memorial built at the President’s House site, has been advocating for the integrity of the site.
— In Philadelphia, opponents gather for silent protest to administration’s plans to remove President’s House exhibits. On September 19, organizers from ATAC held a vigil and attempted to present Interior Secretary Doug Burgum with a letter asking the administration not to censor history. APT member Stephen Pierce attempts to address the secretary.
— Coalition strategizes how to protect President’s House Site – ATAC held a public town hall as the administration plans to remove materials it finds ‘inappropriately disparage’ American history. APT member Stephen Pierce gets a shout out! Read a summary of the meeting by APT member Bill Rooney.
— Philly activists rally to protect President’s House history as Trump deadline to remove exhibits depicting slavery nears, September 13. Another shout out for APT member Stephen Pierce!
— Coalition strategizes how to protect President’s House Site – ATAC held a public town hall as the administration plans to remove materials it finds ‘inappropriately disparage’ American history (September 3). APT member Stephen Pierce gets a shout out! Read a summary of the meeting by APT member Bill Rooney.
— ATAC rally on August 2. Our own Mijuel Johnson of APT corporate member The Black Journey was one of the speakers. Check out the photos and read a member’s account of the event.