Fears for Independence Mall as Trump orders removal of displays that ‘disparage’ American history

Fears for Independence Mall as Trump orders removal of displays that 'disparage' American history

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — There are concerns for historic Philadelphia sites like Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center and the former home of President George Washington for their portrayal of America’s less-than-ideal past.

It’s an experience Karen Ellis of Sacramento appreciated being immersed in as she visited the site and tearfully recounted the stories she learned of slaves who were made to work in the home of America’s first president.

“They were actually just talking about how a woman was having to raise her children, and she had to escape from being a slave and she lost her husband,” Ellis said through tears.

The stories of enslaved people kept by President George Washington are a prominent part of the display where his house once stood at 6th and Market Streets. Those stories, though, are now in danger of going away. It’s a result of an executive order that President Donald Trump signed in March. National Parks workers were instructed to flag any displays that disparage America’s past with the goal of removing those flagged elements by Wednesday, September 17.

“It’s just sad. It’s just really sad this is happening,” said Jennifer Blakemore of Sacramento, California, as she visited the President’s House.

“Why would you try to erase or delete what really happened?” asked Adam Ellis, also of Sacramento.

As the Trump administration pushes to remove displays, people like Lynda Kellan push to preserve them. She is a founding organizer of the Data Rescue Project, an effort to document historic displays. They work in conjunction with a Minnesota-based organization called Save Our Signs. A large number of librarians and historians volunteer their time in the effort.

“We’re asking people to take pictures and enter it in an online forum,” she said, directing people to https://saveoursigns.org or the Data Rescue Project Site, https://www.datarescueproject.org/save-our-signs/

So far, people from across the country have submitted more than 8,000 photos.

“It’s not that we want negative stories to be told,” said Kellen. “It’s that we recognize negative stories can be told… That makes us a better nation.”

The White House issued a statement when the executive order was signed, saying, “President Trump is ensuring that American history is celebrated accurately, fairly, and with pride.”

Critics, though, say it’s an effort to whitewash history. Even Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner weighed in Tuesday.

“Here’s the news: we aren’t going to let you erase history. We are going to make history,” said Krasner.

Avenging the Ancestors Coalition is a group that fought to have the story of George Washington’s slaves told at the Independence Mall site.

They’ve already sent letters to Independence National Park and the National Park Service, vowing to fight.

“To whitewash American history now, on the 250th anniversary (of America) — the eve of it — is what I call historical blasphemy,” said Michael Coard, founder and attorney for Avenging the Ancestors Coalition.

As of Tuesday, it didn’t appear that any displays had been removed from Independence Mall, including the President’s House and the Liberty Bell Center. Private, nonprofit museums like the Museum of the American Revolution, for example, are not impacted by Trump’s executive order.

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