Activists Celebrate Return of Slavery Exhibit at President's House Site

Judge orders Trump administration to restore exhibit depicting lives of enslaved people at historic site in Philadelphia

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Workers began restoring an exhibit depicting the lives of enslaved people at the President's House Site in Philadelphia's Independence Mall on Thursday, after a judge ordered the Trump administration to return the exhibit despite the administration's appeal. More than a dozen people gathered to celebrate the restoration of the 'Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation' exhibit, which had been removed under an executive order barring content deemed to 'inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.'

Why it matters

The removal of the slavery exhibit at the President's House Site was seen by many as an attempt to censor and erase critical historical interpretation at the site. The restoration of the exhibit is a victory for activists and historians who fought to preserve this important piece of public history, which details the lives of nine people enslaved by George Washington when he lived in Philadelphia as president.

The details

The city of Philadelphia sued the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service, arguing the removal of the exhibit violated prior agreements and erased important historical context. U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe set a Friday deadline for the Trump administration to restore the exhibit. Workers began the restoration process on Thursday, and dozens of exhibit supporters gathered at the site to celebrate.

  • On February 19, 2025, dozens of exhibit supporters gathered at the President's House Site to celebrate the restoration of the exhibit.
  • On January 2025, several panels of the 'Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation' exhibit were removed under an executive order from the Trump administration.
  • On February 20, 2026, the judge's deadline for the Trump administration to restore the exhibit.

The players

Mijuel Johnson

A Black history tour guide who said 'The struggle is still real' and that this moment is part of a broader fight to preserve public history.

Stephen Pierce

A George Washington impersonator who said the Trump administration was trying to censor the past and that 'In every authoritarian dictatorship, they always go after the information first.'

Nina Ahmad

A Philadelphia city councilmember who criticized the Trump administration's move to remove the exhibit but thanked those who worked to restore it.

Michael Coard

An attorney who said Thursday's celebration was a bright spot in the push to restore the exhibit, despite naysayers who said it couldn't be done in 30 days.

U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe

The judge who set the Friday deadline for the Trump administration to restore the exhibit at the President's House Site.

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What they’re saying

“The struggle is still real”

— Mijuel Johnson, Black history tour guide

“We have shown and we will continue to show that fascism can be defeated. That you can take on the most powerful figure in the history of the world and on the planet, the president of the United States, and you can win.”

— Mijuel Johnson, Black history tour guide

“In every authoritarian dictatorship, they always go after the information first. The information that doesn't fit with their clean narrative. And we said, 'Oh, hell no,' and we stopped them. And we're going to keep on stopping them.”

— Stephen Pierce, George Washington impersonator

“They are watching this man dismantle everything we hold dear. He's dismantling democracy, but people know around the world that local people are standing up in these places, so it is very important we show up.”

— Nina Ahmad, Philadelphia city councilmember

“We had naysayers, and we had haters, and we had opponents who said it couldn't be done in 30 days. Well, damn it, we got it done in less than 30 days.”

— Michael Coard, Attorney

What’s next

The judge's order requires the Trump administration to keep the slavery exhibit restored at the President's House Site, despite the administration's appeal. The city of Philadelphia and exhibit supporters will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the exhibit remains in place.

The takeaway

This victory for activists and historians in Philadelphia demonstrates the power of local communities to stand up against efforts to censor or erase important historical narratives, even when facing opposition from the highest levels of government. It underscores the ongoing struggle to preserve public history and ensure diverse perspectives are represented at historic sites.