Judge orders restoration of Philly slavery exhibit

The Trump administration plans to appeal the ruling to remove the panels depicting the lives of people enslaved by George Washington.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A U.S. District Court judge has ordered the federal government to restore an exhibit at the President's House Site on Philadelphia's Independence Mall that details the lives of people enslaved by George Washington while he lived in Philadelphia as president. The National Park Service had removed the panels in January after President Trump signed an executive order aimed at preventing national parks and museums from displaying exhibits that 'inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.' The judge has now demanded the panels be restored by Friday, though the administration plans to appeal the ruling.

Why it matters

The dispute over the slavery exhibit highlights ongoing tensions around how to accurately portray America's history, with the Trump administration seeking to limit exhibits that it deems critical of the nation's past, while advocates argue that fully acknowledging the role of slavery is crucial to understanding the country's founding.

The details

In her order, U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia Rufe said the U.S. Department of the Interior and National Park Service failed to comply 'forthwith' with her earlier preliminary injunction, and she is now demanding they restore the panels by 5 p.m. on Friday. The panels, on display since 2010, were part of a collaborative memorial effort involving the city, the NPS, local advocates and historians to detail the lives of nine people enslaved by Washington.

  • The panels were removed on January 22, 2026 after President Trump signed an executive order.
  • The judge ordered the panels to be restored by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2026.

The players

Cynthia Rufe

A U.S. District Court judge who ruled in favor of a preliminary injunction sought by the city of Philadelphia to restore the slavery exhibit panels.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who signed an executive order aimed at preventing national parks and museums from displaying exhibits that 'inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.'

National Park Service

The federal agency that removed the panels from the President's House Site on Philadelphia's Independence Mall.

City of Philadelphia

The city that sought the preliminary injunction to have the slavery exhibit panels restored.

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What’s next

The judge's order requires the National Park Service to restore the slavery exhibit panels by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2026. However, the Trump administration has stated it plans to appeal the ruling.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over how to accurately portray America's history, with the Trump administration seeking to limit exhibits deemed critical of the nation's past, while advocates argue that fully acknowledging the role of slavery is crucial to understanding the country's founding.