Slavery displays removed from Philadelphia historical site after Trump directive

A series of informational signs about slavery were removed Thursday from the President's House in Old City Philadelphia, a historic site operated by the National Park Service. 

When the President's House site at 6th and Market streets — once the home of Presidents George Washington and John Adams — was built in 2010, local activists urged the creators to include information about the enslaved people who lived at the home. Those stories made it into the final exhibit.

CBS News Philadelphia has reached out to the National Park Service and the mayor's office for comment and is waiting to hear back.    

Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, told CBS Philadelphia that workers from the park service removed the signage.

"The decision to do this appears to be made because the President's House Site memorialized the nine enslaved individuals that were held there against their will by President Washington and his wife Martha, and this is the only federal historic site that commemorates the history of slavery in America," Steinke said.

In September, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at removing "ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives." The order, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," specifically mentioned Philadelphia's Independence National Historic Park, home of the Liberty Bell and the President's House, as well as the Smithsonian Institution's museums in Washington, D.C.

At the time, dozens of Philadelphia organizations signed a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum opposing the changes.

Burgum was given a deadline of July 4, 2026, to complete any changes to Independence National Historical Park — a day when the site will take center stage as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary. 

The executive order directed Burgum to ensure memorials "do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times), and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people."

After the president signed the order, the Philadelphia City Council passed two resolutions condemning it.  

Steinke said the exhibit "was created after years of scholarship and research to make sure we got the story right."

"Today in a matter of minutes it was all ripped down, and presumably put away in storage for who knows how long. It's a terrible day for American history, it's a terrible day for Independence National Historical Park. It's a terrible day for our city," he said.

Steinke said he believes the stories will reemerge in other places in Philadelphia in the days and weeks to come.

"This is absolutely unacceptable," Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle, who represents Philadelphia, said in a statement.

"Philadelphia and the entire country deserve an honest accounting of our history, and this effort to hide it is wrong," the statement read. 

Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson said in a statement the removal of the slavery displays is an "effort to whitewash American history."

"History cannot be erased simply because it is uncomfortable," Johnson said in a statement in part. "Removing items from the President's House merely changes the landscape, not the historical record."  

As of Thursday evening, the official park service website for the President's House said, "The outdoor exhibits examine the paradox between slavery and freedom in the new nation." It also notes that the exhibit includes the perspectives of "enslaved individuals."

"Although the house was demolished in 1832, some of it's stories are preserved through videos shared from the perspective of enslaved individuals who lived and worked here, and text panels shed light on everything from visiting tribal delegations to the work of the executive branch," the website states.