Rep. Brendan Boyle introduces bill to restore President's House in Philadelphia: "We don't censor our history"

A Pennsylvania Congressman wants to take the future of slavery exhibits at the President's House Site in Philadelphia out of the hands of any judge or president.

"Our history does not change based on the whims of who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," Democratic U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle said Friday.

Boyle is stepping into the fight over the slavery exhibits at the President's House in Old City. On Friday, the Congressman introduced the "Protecting American History Act."

"We're the United States of America," Boyle said. "We don't censor our history, and I'm not going to allow the Trump administration to start censoring our nation's history."

Last week, around half of the displays at the site were put back up by the National Park Service because of a federal judge's order, but an appeals court issued an injunction that left the remaining exhibits in storage.

The bill would force the federal government to restore exhibits at the President's House and prohibit changes elsewhere at Independence National Historical Park.

"I hesitate in even saying this because I don't want to make this administration aware, frankly, of just how much the Liberty Bell Pavilion is about the abolitionist movement," Boyle said. "Is that going to be next?"

Shamari Stewart was one of many who were touring the site on Friday. He works next to Independence Mall and says he's been to the President's House before, but the controversy made him want to look at the displays a little closer.

"This really kind of shined a light on this," Stewart said. "I guess, in a good way, it's making me more interested."

Timothy Welbeck, director of the Center for Anti-Racism at Temple University, believes the attention on this fight has brought more people out to see it. He gave credit to those who have fought to get the site fully restored.

"As the old saying goes, what was meant for evil turned out to be for good," Welbeck said. "This is the result of an outcry of the community saying this is important history. People need to learn about it. And that we won't let stories like one judge's be erased."

Boyle said he's putting out calls for co-sponsors on the bill and reaching out to Republicans.