Forum/Discussions

          The Struggle Intensifies

           Junious Ricardo Stanton

            On March 27, 2025 President Trump issued Executive Order #14253 with a dastardly Orwellian title Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History with the stated purpose of doing away with and shutting down fifty exhibits at thirty-seven sites around the nation that in Trump’s mind disparaged America and Americans past and present or depicted America(ns) in a negative light. The Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. and the Presidents House Slavery Memorial were two sites Trump’s EO specifically targeted.

            In January of 2026 employees of the National Park Service in Philadelphia executed Trump’s order and dismantled thirty-four panels and interactive video exhibits at the Sixth and Market Street site of the original Robert Morris House which served as the first White House (President’s House) during George Washington’s time as the first president of the newly created United States of America.

While Washington carried out his official duties in Philadelphia nine enslaved persons of African descent forcibly labored at that residence. They were: Austin, Christopher Sheels, Giles, Hercules, Joe (Richardson), Moll, Oney Judge, Paris, and Richmond. 

            This site is significant because Washington who was an enslaver and former soldier who waged wars against Europeans and Indigenous Americans brought nine enslaved Africans to serve him and his wife Martha to Philadelphia from their Virginia plantation. George and Martha  “owned” or managed a total of three hundred and seventeen enslaved persons at the time of Washington’s demise. One hundred and twenty-three were “owned” by Washington, his wife Martha inherited one hundred fifty-three from her first husband and they rented another forty or so from neighbors.

            Trump’s decree is designed to erase this information from the public consciousness especially during the two hundred and fiftieth celebration of this nation’s founding. Immediately upon hearing of the National Park Service’s dismantling of the exhibits, the City of Philadelphia, the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, Black Journeys and The Presidents House Slavery Memorial Coalition sprang into action. The city filed a federal lawsuit seeking an injunction to stay the National Park Service’s actions. ATAC, Black Journeys, PHSMC, Governor Shapiro and the State Democratic Caucus filed amicus briefs in support of the city’s position.

            Cynthia M. Rufe a Federal District Court Judge heard oral arguments and reviewed the submitted briefs and subsequently ruled the National Park Service must restore the exhibit to its original pristine condition immediately. The NPS partially complied. The Trump Administration immediately filed an appeal in the Third Circuit Court which later overruled the District Court ruling. Litigation is still pending as ATAC and Black Journeys have petitioned the court to be included as plaintiffs in the case, this matter is still pending.

            Last week in a Massachusetts District Federal Court another case was filed also challenging Trumps Executive Order as it pertained to fifty exhibits in the thirty-seven sites around the country, The President’s House Slavery Memorial included. The Judge in that case Angel Kelly ruled the government could not arbitrarily shut those exhibits down, she issued a preliminary injunction and ordered the Trump Administration must submit weekly progress reports on the restoration of all the exhibits.

The administration appealed to the First Circuit Court in Massachusetts which unanimously agreed to pause Judge Kelly’s order mandating the sites had to be restored by July 3 the day before the Fourth of July celebrations! However, the three-judge panel allowed Judge Kelly’s ruling preventing the National Park Service and the Trump administration from dismantling and purging the exhibits around the nation to stand. Other aspects of these cases also are still awaiting further litigation.

The struggle for truth and an accurate depiction of American history intensifies! Stay tuned.

                                                      -30-