Federal appeals court says Trump administration can replace slavery exhibits at Philadelphia President's House
A panel of federal appellate judges has given the Trump administration the green light to replace slavery exhibits at the President's House in Philadelphia ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary. Local elected leaders and advocates say the fight isn't over.
The exhibit, which tells the stories of nine enslaved people who lived at the home when George Washington was president, has been in flux since early 2026. That's when the National Park Service — in accordance with one of President Trump's executive orders — began removing panels that told the stories of the nine people.
After arguments on June 2, the appeals court sided with the government, with judges ruling the City of Philadelphia does not have rights to control property they do not own.
Judge Thomas Hardiman, a George W. Bush appointee, authored the appellate court's opinion.
Recap of the legal battle around the Philadelphia President's House
After the Park Service removed the original slavery exhibits at the historic site in January, the City of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit and a district court judge ruled the exhibit must be restored. The Trump administration then appealed, which paused the restoration. That's why about half of the panels are still missing.
In April, the National Park Service's website was updated with images of new panels that told the story of the President's House. But the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, an organization that helped fight for the creation of the original exhibit, said those panels were "an attempt to sanitize history and present a version of the past that is more comfortable, but far less truthful."
Hardiman wrote in his opinion that the judges believe "these new panels are full of historical context ... they acknowledge the evil of slavery, including its injustices and hypocrisies."
Last week, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that changes to national monuments and parks in accordance with Trump's executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" should be undone. That order applied to the President's House and other historic sites.
It's not clear which order will take precedence and how the manner will be worked out in court.
Archaeological historian weighs in
Cheryl LaRoche, an archeological historian who worked to excavate the foundation of the President's House 20 years ago to study the truth about who lived there, criticized the new panels.
"This looks lovely, but this is such a mythological portrayal of what is happening at the foundation of this nation. And the President's House Site is about the founding of the country and the fact that the country is founded in tandem with the enslavement of human beings," LaRoche said.
The new panels on the website show a wide range of history, including the Underground Railroad and a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"It's all over the place. We've got the Civil War, we've got Martin Luther King standing up there fulfilling a promise. That's really very important. But the intention of the President's House Site was to talk about the foundation of this country with slavery as the backbone and the wealth engine," LaRoche said.
Reactions to the President's House court rulings
In a video on Instagram, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said, "Philadelphia, I need to make this plain, and I need you to hear me on this: I will pursue every legal action possible in efforts to reverse this decision. We cannot and we will not rest until the full story of American history — including the existence of slavery at the President's House here in in our great city of Philadelphia, the birthplace of democracy — is told, for our nation and, quite frankly, the world to see."
Parker said she will continue the legal fight alongside advocates including the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro reacted to the decision on social media.
"No matter how hard Donald Trump fights in a court of law to whitewash our history, he will never change our values in Pennsylvania," Shapiro posted on X. "We are the birthplace of American democracy. We will continue to learn from our full history, even when it's painful, to build a better future for all of us."
Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Democrat who represents Philadelphia in Congress, urged the legislature to pass a law that would block changes to the exhibit.
"Today's ruling underscores the need for Congress to pass my Protecting American History Act to permanently block Trump from removing these exhibits," Boyle said in a statement. "This fight is not over — and I will not rest until we stop this censorship and live up to America's founding ideals."
Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson echoed those sentiments, saying in a statement that he's "deeply disappointed" in the court's decision.
"Philadelphia remains committed to elevating the stories of those whose experiences have too often been overlooked. I will continue working with community leaders, historians, educators, and preservation advocates to ensure that the history of slavery and the contributions of African Americans remain central to the interpretation of our shared national heritage," he said in part.
In a statement, the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition said, in part, it "is disappointed by the Third Circuit's decision regarding the President's House/Slavery Memorial. However, this is definitely not the end of this fight, nor does it diminish the importance of ensuring that the full truth of our nation's history is preserved and presented accurately."
The coalition said it is reviewing the ruling and consulting with its legal team and will "consider all available options moving forward."
When reached for comment on the decision, a spokesperson for the Interior Department said only the following: "Trust in Trump."
