Philly sues federal government after Independence Mall slavery exhibit removed

An exhibit examining slavery at the President’s House in Independence National Historical Park was removed on Thursday.

NBC10 crews were there on Jan. 22 and found that the plaques were removed from their displays at 6th and Market streets in Center City, Philadelphia.

Also on Thursday, the city of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit against Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron over the removal of the artwork.

“Removing the exhibits is an effort to whitewash American history. History cannot be erased simply because it is uncomfortable. Removing items from the President’s House merely changes the landscape, not the historical record,” Philadelphia council member Kenyatta Johnson wrote in a statement reacting to the incident.

This comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March of 2025 that reads in part, “take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to ensure that all public monuments, memorials, statues, markers or similar properties within the Department’s jurisdiction do not contain descriptions, depictions or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”

According to the city’s visitor center, the exhibit was housed on the same land where the home of Presidents Washington and Adams once stood.

The outdoor exhibit used to show the names of nine slaves who worked for Washington.