Judge Orders Restoration of George Washington Slavery Exhibit

Exhibit about enslaved people at Washington's Philadelphia home must be reinstalled after Trump administration removed it

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore an exhibit about nine people enslaved by George Washington at his former home in Philadelphia. The exhibit, which provided biographical details about the enslaved individuals, was removed last month in response to a Trump executive order aimed at ensuring historical sites do not 'inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.' The judge ruled the removal was unlawful and the exhibit must be reinstalled while a lawsuit challenging the removal proceeds.

Why it matters

The exhibit's removal was part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to revise the historical narrative at national parks and landmarks, removing content related to slavery, LGBTQ+ history, and Native American displacement. The judge's ruling is a rebuke of these attempts to whitewash history and a victory for preserving the full historical record, even when it includes uncomfortable truths about America's past.

The details

The exhibit, created two decades ago through a partnership between the city of Philadelphia and federal officials, included biographical details about nine people enslaved by the Washingtons while they lived in Philadelphia, the nation's capital at the time. The exhibit highlighted the stories of Oney Judge and Hercules, two enslaved individuals who escaped from the Washingtons. After the Trump administration removed the exhibit's explanatory panels in January, the city of Philadelphia sued, and the judge has now ordered the exhibit to be restored to its original condition.

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

The players

George Washington

The first U.S. president, who enslaved nine people at his Philadelphia home when it served as the nation's capital in the 1790s.

Oney Judge

An enslaved woman born at Washington's Mount Vernon plantation who escaped from the Philadelphia home in 1796 and fled to New Hampshire, a free state.

Hercules

An enslaved chef who escaped from Washington's Mount Vernon plantation in 1797 and reached New York City, living under the name Hercules Posey.

City of Philadelphia

The city that sued the Trump administration after the National Park Service removed the exhibit about Washington's enslaved people from Independence National Historical Park.

Judge Cynthia Rufe

The U.S. District Judge who ruled that the Trump administration must restore the exhibit, comparing their actions to the 'Ministry of Truth' in George Orwell's '1984.'

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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.”

— Judge 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 judge did not provide a timeline for when the exhibit must be restored, and federal officials can appeal the ruling.

The takeaway

This ruling is a victory for preserving the full historical record, even when it includes uncomfortable truths about America's past. It rejects attempts by the Trump administration to whitewash history and shows the importance of community activism in defending historical accuracy and transparency.