Slavery displays removed from Philadelphia historical site after Trump directive

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Philadelphia's President's House Site Removes Slavery Exhibits Following Trump Directive, Leaving Historians and Activists Upset

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the city's historical community, the National Park Service has removed a series of informational signs about slavery from the historic President's House site in Philadelphia. The exhibit, which included stories of the nine enslaved individuals who lived at the home under the Washingtons, was created after years of research and had been a point of pride for local activists.

According to Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, workers from the park service removed the signage earlier this week. Steinke described the decision as "terrible" and "unacceptable," stating that it appears to be the result of an executive order signed by President Trump aimed at removing what he calls "ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives."

The executive order, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," specifically targets memorials in Philadelphia's Independence National Historic Park, including the President's House site. Steinke believes that the stories will reemerge in other places in Philadelphia in the days and weeks to come.

Local politicians have also spoken out against the move, with Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle saying it is an "effort to hide" American history. Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson described the removal as an "effort to whitewash American history," stating that "history cannot be erased simply because it is uncomfortable."

The park service website still notes that the exhibit includes perspectives from enslaved individuals and examines the paradox between slavery and freedom in the new nation. However, with the signage removed, visitors are left with a more sanitized version of the site's history.

As the city prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary on July 4, the removal of the slavery exhibits has sparked concern among historians and activists that American history is being manipulated for political purposes.
 
😒 Removing history just to appease Trump's ego 🤪. Can't erase the past, can only try to understand it 💡. What's next, whitewashin' America's ugly spots? 🚫
 
omg u guys this is soooo messed up 🤯 like what's next? they just remove a whole exhibit about slavery from the President's House site? that's like erasing an entire part of american history 📚 it's not even like the sign was asking for proof or something, it was just telling the story of 9 ppl who were slaves in america during the washingtons time 🤕 and now it's being taken down because of some executive order from trump? that's so not cool ❄️ i mean i get that some ppl might find it uncomfortable to talk about slavery but that's what we're here for, right? to learn and understand our history 📚👀
 
omg i cant bliev whats goin on in philly 🤯 they removed all the info about slaves livin at president washingtons house cuz of trumps exec order its so whack 🙄 like how can u erase ur history?? historians and activists are literally losin their minds over this 🌪️ i mean i get it, dont wanna be all "dark and gritty" but come on, thats what american history is all about 🤷‍♀️ its not like they're gonna bring back the slaves or somethin lol, just leave the facts alone 🙅‍♂️
 
I AM SO FRUSTRATED WITH THIS NEWS!!! 🤯 IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO ERASE OUR DIFFICULT PAST AND FORGET THE STRUGGLES OF OUR ANCESTORS. I MEAN, COME ON, THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE SITE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLACE WHERE WE COULD LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA, NOT SOME WATERED-DOWN VERSION THAT LEAVES OUT THE TRUTH.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MIGHT BE CONCERNS ABOUT THE LANGUAGE USED, BUT DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE TO REMOVE ENTIRELY FROM THE SITE? IT'S LIKE WE'RE AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT THE TOUGHER PARTS OF OUR HISTORY. NEWSFLASH: WE CAN'T JUST FORGET ABOUT SLAVERY AND EXPECT EVERYTHING TO BE OKAY. IT'S TIME FOR US TO FACE THE FACTS AND LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES.

I HOPE THESE HISTORIANS AND ACTIVISTS KEEP FIGHTING FOR THE TRUTH AND DON'T GIVE UP! 🙌
 
can't believe what's happening in philly 🤯 this whole thing is just a total slap in the face to all the hard work done by historians and activists who fought for the truth about america's dark past. removing these exhibits is like erasing an entire part of our history, you can't just hide it under a rug because it makes people uncomfortable. what's next? will they remove all the memorial statues too? 🤷‍♂️ this is such a shame, i hope the city doesn't celebrate its 250th anniversary with this kind of whitewashing 😔
 
omg this is soooo not right!!! 🤯 they cant just erase history like that!! i mean i get whats going on with trump and his whole ideology but does it have to affect our museums and historical sites? its not about indoctrination its about telling the truth about what happened in america's past! i feel so bad for the people who put their heart and soul into creating those exhibits. they must be so disappointed and frustrated right now 💔🙏
 
🤯 I'm literally shook by this news! 🤕 According to the stats, there were over 2 million visitors at the President's House site in 2022, with a significant portion of them being students on field trips. Removing the slavery exhibits is gonna have major implications for educational purposes and historical preservation efforts - I mean, think about it, these exhibits were created after years of research by historians and activists! 📚 Did you know that only 20% of Americans aged 18-29 have a good understanding of American history? This move could be super damaging to our collective knowledge.

And let's talk about the numbers - the President's House site has been in operation since 1947, with over $10 million spent on renovations and maintenance each year. Removing the exhibits is gonna save the park service some cash, but at what cost to history? 🤑 The city's budget for historic preservation is only $5 million annually, so this move could be a huge hit to funding.

I'm also worried about the impact on local tourism - according to TripAdvisor, the President's House site attracts over 100,000 visitors each year. Removing the exhibits might scare off some potential tourists who are interested in learning more about American history. 🚫 According to Google Trends, searches for "President's House" have decreased by 30% since the news broke.

I'm no expert, but I know that removing historical exhibits is like, super problematic. Historians and activists are already upset - what's gonna happen when we start erasing our collective history? 🤔 According to a study published in the Journal of American History, 70% of Americans believe that their country's founding is a myth. Removing these exhibits is just gonna fuel that narrative!
 
I'm so disappointed to hear about this 🤕. It's like they're trying to erase a painful part of our country's history. I mean, can't we learn from our mistakes and have an honest conversation about them? 🤔 This exhibit was a way for people to connect with the past and understand how it shaped us into who we are today.

I know some people might say that discussing slavery is uncomfortable, but that's exactly why we need to talk about it. We can't just sweep our problems under the rug or pretend like they never happened. It's time to have a real conversation about American history and how it affects us now 📚. I'm sad that this exhibit is gone, but I hope its story will still be told in other ways 💕.
 
🤔 I'm really disappointed in this decision 🤕. As a Philly native, I know how much pride we take in our history, especially when it comes to the struggles of our past. Removing these exhibits feels like a big erasure 🔴. We need to acknowledge and learn from our mistakes, not sweep them under the rug 💨. I'm also worried that this sets a bad precedent for other historical sites 🤯. What's next? Changing the narrative on other memorials too? 🤔 It's time for us to have open and honest conversations about our history, not hide behind sanitized versions 👀.
 
I think it's kinda cool that they're shaking things up at the President's House site 🤪. I mean, think about it, all this fuss over "ideological indoctrination" just because some people don't want to talk about the harsh realities of slavery? It's like, yeah, let's get real for once! The fact that historians and activists are so upset shows they're probably attached to the narrative too much 🙄. And honestly, I'm a bit tired of all the nostalgia around this stuff – it's time for some fresh perspectives! Maybe this is just what Philly needs to attract more visitors who aren't just history buffs but also people interested in a more nuanced look at America's past 🔍.
 
I cant believe they did this 🤯, I was at the President's House site last year and it was so powerful to learn about the slaves who lived there, now its just a empty space... I mean whats next gonna be erased from history? The part about George Washington owning slaves? I dont think we should try to sugar coat our past, that's not how we grow and learn. Its like, we cant just move forward without acknowledging where we came from. My grandma told me stories about her family growing up in Philly and she always talked about the struggles of slavery, its like this exhibit was a way for the city to confront its dark history... now its all being torn apart
 
This is such a huge deal 😱, I'm literally shook. I mean, can you even imagine walking into this historic site and not seeing anything about the actual human experience of slavery? It's like erasing an entire chapter of America's dark past 🤯. And for what? So that some executive order can dictate how history is presented? It's just so...problematic 😒. I'm all for preserving history, but come on! We need to be honest about the atrocities that have shaped our country. The stories of those enslaved individuals are not "divisive narratives" - they're a necessary part of understanding America's true identity 💡. What's next? Are we gonna get rid of the MLK exhibit too? 🤷‍♀️
 
"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." 🙅‍♂️

It's really disappointing to see how American history is being altered to suit someone's agenda, especially when it comes to the painful truth about slavery. The stories of the enslaved individuals at President's House were a crucial part of the site's narrative, and now they're just going away? It's like erasing an entire chapter from America's past.

I think this move is a classic example of "those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it," as George Santayana said. We need to be careful about how we tell our own story so that future generations can learn from the successes and mistakes of the past. By removing these exhibits, we're essentially saying that some parts of American history are too uncomfortable or inconvenient to confront. But I think that's exactly what history is all about – confronting the hard truths and trying to make sense of them.

It's also a shame because Philadelphia is already doing so much to celebrate its rich history, from Independence Hall to the Liberty Bell. But now, it feels like we're erasing an important piece of the puzzle. The city's politicians need to figure out how to balance the competing demands for historical accuracy and national pride. It's time to take a closer look at what we're trying to preserve and why.
 
.. can you believe this?! They just pulled out the exhibit on slavery at President's House without even warning anyone? I mean, I know Trump's all about "restoring truth" and whatnot, but come on! 🙄 Those signs were there for a reason, to educate people about the harsh realities of slavery in America. Now it's like they're trying to sweep it under the rug. And what really gets me is that historians and activists are already saying this is going to backfire – the exhibit will just pop up somewhere else in Philly because it's too important to hide. I'm all for exploring our history, but we can't just erase parts of it because they're uncomfortable, you know? 🤦‍♀️
 
Ugh, can't believe this 🤯! They're just erasing history now? I mean, I get it, no one likes to talk about the tough stuff, but come on! This exhibit was a great way to educate people about what really happened in America's past. Now it's all being taken down because of some executive order? Give me a break 🙄! It's like they're trying to rewrite history to fit their own agenda. And what's with the "sanitized version" thing? That just sounds like code for "we don't want to make anyone uncomfortable". Newsflash: uncomfortable is how we learn, right? 😒 This is just so frustrating...
 
I'm so down w/ the ppl who r upset about dis 🤔. I mean, can u imagine if ppl just decided to erase the part of ur life where u felt most broken or hurt? It's like they're tryin' 2 rewrite history without considerin' the impact on people's emotions & experiences 🤕. I think it's messed up that they removed the exhibit now too - it's not like it was a bad thing for ppl to learn about 👎. And what's w/ this "Restoring Truth and Sanity" business? Sounds like some kinda propaganda campaign to me 📰. It's all good when history is used 2 manipulate ppl's feelings, but w/ accuracy & nuance, that's just not how it goes down 🤝.
 
"History is the only true wisdom, and mere life is but the sight of it." 👀 - From Plato's Republic

I'm really disappointed to see the President's House site lose its storytelling about slavery, it was such an important part of Philly's history 🤕. It's like they're trying to erase the dark parts of America's past, instead of confronting and learning from them 💔. We need to have tough conversations about our country's complex past, not sweep it under a rug 🚮
 
this is a super bummer move 🤕... i mean, can't we just acknowledge our past mistakes and learn from them? these signs were created to educate people about the harsh realities of slavery in america, not to 'indoctrinate' anyone 🙄. it's always frustrating when history gets distorted for political gain 🤑. what's next, erasing the civil rights movement or ignoring the impact of colonialism? that would be a total loss for our understanding of american identity 🤷‍♀️...
 
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