Federal Court Blocks Removal of Slave History Exhibit at Historic Site

Judge orders restoration of exhibit on Washington's enslaved people at Philadelphia historic site after Trump administration took it down.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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A federal judge has ruled that an exhibit about nine people enslaved by George Washington must be restored at his former home in Philadelphia, after the Trump administration removed the exhibit last month. The city of Philadelphia sued the National Park Service, which had removed the explanatory panels from Independence National Historical Park under a Trump executive order. The judge compared the Trump administration's actions to the 'Ministry of Truth' in George Orwell's '1984' and said the federal government does not have the power to 'dissemble and disassemble historical truths'.

Why it matters

The removal of the exhibit about Washington's enslaved people was part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to remove content about the history of enslaved, LGBTQ+, and Native American people at national parks and historic sites. This ruling is a victory for preserving accurate historical narratives and acknowledging the full history of America's founding, including the role of slavery.

The details

The exhibit, created two decades ago, included biographical details about each of the nine people enslaved by the Washingtons at their Philadelphia home, including two who escaped. The National Park Service had removed the explanatory panels in January in response to a Trump executive order 'restoring truth and sanity to American history'. The judge ruled that all materials must be restored to their original condition while the lawsuit challenging the removal's legality plays out.

  • The exhibit was removed by the National Park Service on January 22, 2026.
  • The federal judge issued the ruling on Presidents Day, February 17, 2026.

The players

Cynthia Rufe

A U.S. District Judge appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, who ruled that the exhibit must be restored.

George Washington

The former U.S. president who enslaved nine people, some of whom were housed in his Philadelphia home.

Oney Judge

One of the nine enslaved people at Washington's Philadelphia home, who escaped to New Hampshire, a free state, in 1796.

Hercules

Another of the nine enslaved people at Washington's Philadelphia home, who escaped in 1797 and reached New York City despite being declared a fugitive slave.

Malcolm Kenyatta

A Pennsylvania state representative who celebrated the ruling, saying the community prevailed against an attempt by the Trump administration to 'whitewash our history'.

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What they’re saying

“As if the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's 1984 now existed, with its motto 'Ignorance is Strength,' this Court is now asked to determine whether the federal government has the power it claims — to dissemble and disassemble historical truths when it has some domain over historical facts. It does not.”

— Cynthia Rufe, U.S. District Judge

“Philadelphians fought back, and I could not be more proud of how we stood together.”

— Malcolm Kenyatta, Pennsylvania State Representative

What’s next

The Interior Department can appeal the ruling. The judge did not provide a timeline for when the exhibit must be restored.

The takeaway

This ruling is a victory for preserving accurate historical narratives and acknowledging the full history of America's founding, including the role of slavery. It sets an important precedent against efforts to whitewash or revise history for political purposes.