Trump Administration Accused of Whitewashing Black History at Federal Sites

Advocates fear self-censorship and loss of historical information under new policies

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Trump administration is looking to change how Black history is presented at the park sites and museums under its influence. President Trump says historical sites focus too much on the issue of slavery instead the 'success' of the country. His administration is accused of whitewashing the history of slavery at Smithsonian facilities and National Park Service sites, including recently the President's House in Philadelphia. Advocates worry Trump's efforts are creating a world where employees will self-censor exhibits and Americans miss valuable information about the country's history.

Why it matters

This issue highlights the ongoing debate over how to accurately and sensitively portray the history of slavery and racism in America. Critics argue the Trump administration's efforts to downplay or remove certain historical narratives amounts to whitewashing and censorship, depriving the public of a full understanding of the nation's complex past. Advocates say this could have a chilling effect on public historians and lead to self-censorship, further limiting access to information.

The details

The Trump administration has ordered the removal of parts of exhibits detailing the legacy of George Washington's slaves at the President's House in Philadelphia. A federal judge recently restored the exhibit after ruling the administration does not have the power to "dissemble and disassemble historical truths." Another group of history and park organizations has sued the administration for allegedly removing hundreds of signs at parks after Trump signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to review and remove exhibits that 'inappropriately disparage Americans.' The administration says it will appeal the Philadelphia ruling and claims the Smithsonian and other museums are 'out of control' with their focus on America's flaws rather than its 'success' and 'brightness.'

  • In 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to review and remove exhibits from public sites that 'inappropriately disparage Americans.'
  • In February 2026, a federal judge appointed by former President George W. Bush restored the exhibit at the President's House in Philadelphia after the Trump administration ordered its removal.
  • The Trump administration says it will appeal the judge's ruling, which came during Black History Month 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who is now seeking to change how Black history is presented at federal historical sites and museums under his administration's influence.

Cynthia Rufe

A federal judge appointed by former President George W. Bush who ruled against the Trump administration's efforts to remove parts of the exhibit at the President's House in Philadelphia.

John R. Dichtl

The president and CEO of the American Association for State and Local History, one of the groups suing the Trump administration over the removal of historical exhibits and signs at national parks.

W. Gabriel Selassie

An assistant professor at the Department of Africana Studies at California State University, Northridge, who argues the Trump administration does not understand the nuanced historical interpretations presented by museums and public historians.

Karsonya Wise Whitehead

The president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, who calls on the public to get involved in preserving and sharing Black history rather than relying on lawmakers.

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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

“The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of 'WOKE,' The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.”

— Donald Trump (Truth Social)

“Here's also the chilling effect that happens when park sites are forced to remove information. Those park employees and volunteers are then afraid for their own jobs, or doing what their bosses tell them, and keeping their heads down, second-guessing themselves, removing material before it's even been flagged or flagging that material so it can be reviewed, and it's a incredibly obstructive regime that's been placed on the Park Service.”

— John R. Dichtl, President and CEO, American Association for State and Local History

“I think the museums, just in general, public historians, who do such a fantastic job of interpreting this history … and I think that the current administration really, fundamentally, doesn't understand the history that it's reading and how those interpretations done by these museums and public historians [are] meant to try to foster a different kind of mythology that everyone in the United States can coalesce around and see our shared Americanness.”

— W. Gabriel Selassie, Assistant Professor, Department of Africana Studies, California State University, Northridge

“Don't wait for it to be taught to you. Go out and get the information. I think that is what we're seeing right now. Under this administration, it is calling on everyone to recognize that this is not a spectator sport. If you want our history to be preserved, you're going to have to get into the game, you're going to have to participate, you're going to have to collect the information and you're going to have to share the information.”

— Karsonya Wise Whitehead, President, Association for the Study of African American Life and History

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the Trump administration's appeal of the ruling restoring the exhibit at the President's House in Philadelphia.

The takeaway

This controversy highlights the ongoing debate over how to accurately portray America's complex history of slavery and racism. Critics argue the Trump administration's efforts to downplay or remove certain historical narratives amount to whitewashing, while advocates say this could have a chilling effect on public historians and further limit public access to information. The case underscores the need for a balanced, nuanced approach to teaching and interpreting the nation's past.