A federal appeals court rules that the Trump administration may remove and replace slavery-related exhibits at the President’s House in Philadelphia, a site associated with George Washington, reversing a lower-court decision. Earlier this year, the federal government removed or altered slavery displays at Independence National Historical Park. A judge in Pennsylvania had blocked the administration from proceeding unless the government restored the exhibits it had taken down. On Thursday, an appeals court panel held that Interior Department officials can proceed with changing the displays rather than restoring the prior versions. The decision permits the government to “remove and replace” the exhibits, according to reporting from multiple outlets.
The case centers on whether the administration’s actions comply with legal requirements governing changes to federally managed historical displays. The appeals court’s ruling effectively lifts the injunction issued by the Pennsylvania district court, allowing Interior to move forward with its planned updates to exhibit content and presentation at the Philadelphia site tied to Washington’s presidency.
