Judge sets deadline for Trump administration to restore slavery exhibits at President's House in Philadelphia

A judge has set a deadline for the Trump administration to return the slavery exhibits that were removed from the President's House Site in Philadelphia in January.

On Wednesday, Senior Judge Cynthia M. Rufe ordered the Trump administration to return the slavery exhibits to the President's House at 6th and Market streets in Old City by 5 p.m. Friday.

The order comes two days after Rufe ruled in favor of the city of Philadelphia and ordered the Trump administration to restore the President's House Site to the way it was on Jan. 21 — the day before the slavery exhibits were removed. Rufe's order on Monday also said that officials must continue to properly maintain the President's House Site, including the grounds, video monitors, recordings and exhibits. 

The Trump administration filed an appeal to Rufe's decision Tuesday. In a statement Monday, the Interior Department said it disagrees with the court's ruling, calling it an "unnecessary judicial intervention."

The department also said in part: "Updated interpretive materials providing a fuller account of the history of slavery at Independence Hall would have been installed in the coming days." However, the Interior Department didn't provide details on those "updated materials" when asked.

CBS News Philadelphia also reached out to the Interior Department to see if it will comply with the judge's Friday deadline to restore the exhibits, but we've yet to hear back. 

"The judge makes clear that the National Park Service is required to comply with her earlier order that the site be returned to the state that it was on January 21st," said Cara McClellan, who is the director and practice associate professor of the Advocacy for the Racial and Civil Justice Clinic. "And that the National Park Service must do so forthwith, which is a term that means, no delay."

McClellan said filing an appeal does not automatically freeze a judge's order.

To stop enforcement, the government would need what's called a "stay" — either from this court or a higher one.

"The district court can still manage issues related to that order and enforce compliance, even while that appeal is happening," she said. 

The exhibits at the President's House were removed by the NPS under an executive order by President Trump called "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." 

The site was once the home of former Presidents George Washington and John Adams, and the exhibits detailed the lives of nine people enslaved at the home while Washington lived there as president. 

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker called the order to return the exhibits "a huge win" for the city in a video posted on social media Tuesday. 

"This summer, Philadelphia will lead a litany of semiquincentennial celebrations in honor of America's 250th birthday, and please know that we will do so with a great deal of pride, a pride that comes from acknowledging all of our history and all of our truth, no matter how painful it may be. It will be the truth when it's told accurately. We will not allow anyone to erase our history," Parker said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro filed an amicus brief to support Philadelphia's lawsuit against the Trump administration to restore the exhibits. He said the displays tell important history that needs to be shared as people come to the city to celebrate America's founding.

"We'll continue to fight them in court, continue to support the city of Philadelphia in this litigation, and continue to fight to ensure our shared history is taught," Shapiro said. "The fact that the Trump administration wants to undermine that by literally ripping off of a wall, a message about our history, I think that's conduct that doesn't comport with what we're trying to celebrate."

On Wednesday night, barricades surround parts of the President's House Site. NPS staff said they were put up ahead of power washing, but some advocates worry they're meant to keep people out as this legal battle moves forward.

"It's hard not to think that they don't want people having access because the grassroots response was so robust," Elizabeth Kimball, an advocate, said.

People who stopped by the site Wednesday night said they were encouraged to hear a deadline has now been set.

"I'm happy to hear that someone is taking an aggressive stance against the administration's policy on this," said Ryan Spengler, who works in the area.

Meanwhile, the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition said it will host another rally Thursday afternoon in response to the court order and the barricades now surrounding the site.