Slavery Exhibit Returning to Philadelphia's Independence Mall

Contentious legal battle ends with restoration of exhibit on enslaved people at former President's House site.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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After a contentious legal battle between the city of Philadelphia and the Trump administration, an exhibit on the lives of nine people enslaved at the former President's House in Philadelphia is being restored on Independence Mall. The federal government had removed the exhibits last month, prompting a lawsuit from the city and other supporters of the exhibit. A federal judge has now ordered the restoration of the historical materials while the lawsuit proceeds.

Why it matters

The exhibit's removal and subsequent restoration highlights the ongoing debates around how to accurately and sensitively portray the history of slavery in the United States, especially at sites with direct connections to former presidents and the founding of the nation. The legal battle also underscores the tensions between federal and local control over historical narratives and public spaces.

The details

Workers began restoring the exhibit on Thursday, which focuses on the lives of the nine people enslaved by George Washington while he resided at the former President's House site in Philadelphia. The federal government had removed the exhibits last month, arguing it alone has the authority to decide what stories are told at National Park Service properties. However, a federal judge granted an injunction ordering the restoration of the materials, comparing the Trump administration's actions to the revisionist history depicted in the novel '1984'.

  • The exhibits were removed by the federal government in January 2026.
  • On February 17, 2026, a federal judge ordered the restoration of the exhibits by February 19, 2026.

The players

Cherelle Parker

The mayor of Philadelphia who visited the site on Thursday to thank the workers for their efforts in restoring the exhibit.

Cynthia Rufe

A senior U.S. District Judge who granted the injunction ordering the restoration of the exhibits, comparing the Trump administration's actions to the revisionist history depicted in the novel '1984'.

Donald Trump

The former president whose administration argued it alone has the authority to decide what stories are told at National Park Service properties, leading to the removal of the exhibits.

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What they’re saying

“If the President's House is left dismembered throughout this dispute, so too is the history it recounts. Worse yet, the potential of having the exhibits replaced by an alternative script — a plausible assumption at this time — would be an even more permanent rejection of the site's historical integrity, and irreparable.”

— Cynthia Rufe, Senior U.S. District Judge

What’s next

The lawsuit between the city of Philadelphia and the federal government over the control and interpretation of the historical exhibits at the former President's House site is ongoing, with the restored exhibits remaining in place during the legal proceedings.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debates around how to accurately and sensitively portray the history of slavery in the United States, especially at sites with direct connections to former presidents and the founding of the nation. It also underscores the tensions between federal and local control over historical narratives and public spaces, with the courts playing a key role in mediating these disputes.