The monument The President’s House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation on Independence Mall was dedicated in 2010. | Photo: Michael Bixler

A touch of irony pervaded the September 3 gathering of the Avenging The Ancestors Coalition (ATAC) at the Zion Baptist Church. It came from the Trump Administration’s executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” that is attempting to erase African American history under the pretense that difficult truths about the Black experience in the United States are actually dismantling “Western foundations” and “interrogating institutional racism.” The order is something that the church’s founder, Reverend Leon Sullivan, and many other civil rights activists in attendance that evening have worked against and assumed that this chapter of their lives had concluded.

On Wednesday, September 17, the National Park Service (NPS) and Independence National Historical Park (INHP) are scheduled to remove any and all signs and imagery involving slavery that, according to a mid-August review, have been flagged as “inappropriate.” According to a recent article published by the Philadelphia Inquirer, not only will items from the President’s House be removed, but also items from the Benjamin Franklin Museum, Edgar Allen Poe House, The Second Bank of the United States, and other unnamed sites.

In response, ATAC board members Roz McPherson, who is the former project director of the President’s House, and attorney Michael Coard led a discussion with community members, historians, tour guides, politicians, and representatives from various organizations, such as Visit Philly, Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, Asian Americans United (AAU), and Mother Africa, speaking on behalf of Mumia Abu-Jamal, were in attendance to offer suggestions and support.

Feedback given during the discussions ranged from affirmations to frustrations with proposed digital displays and signage with QR codes in proximity to Park Service sites explaining to visitors that they can “find the truth here.” One of the more poignant points raised came from Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street, who recounted that under his father, former Mayor John F. Street who was in office during the reconstruction of the President’s House, a condition of this reconstruction was that the “City only agreed to it if it would include the history of those enslaved individuals.” Senator Street also recounted that former Mayor Street refused to move forward without that stipulation and “that at the minimum constitutes an agreement between the City and the federal government constituting a contract.” He went on to state “ removing it [mentioning of the enslaved] violates allowing the President’s House to exist.”

Although the NPS serves as part of the visitors’ experience, it is not the totality of it. Reaching out to various museums, sites, and interpreters who also work within the Olde City, I wanted to learn how each group will respond to the impending changes. Off the record, various NPS rangers stated that the content covered in their individual tours depends on their discretion. Some explained that they will continue discussing all facets of American history until they are let go or mandated to do otherwise. Dr. Ashley Jordan, president and CEO of the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) stated “Part of what makes America great is its history, and the experiences and contributions of Black Americans are an important part of that history. Our hope is that the AAMP can lead thoughtful discussion about how we preserve and support the vital role that history plays in the great American story.”

The Trump Administration has ordered National Park Service staff at Independence National Park to remove this interpretive sign display about slavery in the United States by September 17. | Photos: Michael Bixler

Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, president and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution released the following statement: “On the eve of America’s 250th birthday, it is important to remember that the American Revolution is an ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. A mature and confident nation like the United States should be able to celebrate the optimism and transformative power of our ideals and achievements while also acknowledging the ways that we have sometimes failed to embody our values as a people. The most powerful story of America that we can share is one that is self-reflective, self-aware, and self-confident.”

The 1838 Black Metropolis Project that currently serves as “Pennsylvania’s second official extension of the NPS Reconstruction Network” and a training tool for independent and corporate tour guides stated, “We are used to being in a space and verbally recreating the people and the space with words—as is our oral history tradition. If the panels are there or not, we will keep speaking life into the space and keep speaking the truth of our past and our ancestors. Energy never dies.” Robert Branch, a present-day interpreter of Bishop Richard Allen, said on his own behalf that the removal of the mentions of slavery and those enslaved at the President’s House would be “a great distortion of the history” and that he has never encountered any visitors who felt devisive about any of the content marked for removal.

At this time, ATAC is in discussions with NPS officials as part of a process to return the earmarked items if they are removed. “We still have a relationship with them,” McPherson relayed to the audience and informed everyone that their feedback will be expressed as part of their communications. She also advised that “Many in the park service are being forced to make recommendations,” and reminded everyone where the appropriate finger should be pointed. Fellow ATAC board member and attorney Michael Coard went on to add that there is a legal aspect that they are pressing, but they are currently not at liberty to give details.

The Trump Administration’s executive order states, “This revisionist movement seeks to undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.” Regardless of the statements and actions taken, the impending deadline has motivated various tour companies and parties to prepare by sharing more stories of the enslaved and the many periods of local history that involve historically disenfranchised groups. The Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) has begun offering complimentary tours to City Council and Pennsylvania state representatives to highlight “the true, complicated history” of the city. A teach-in is also planned for September 20 around Independence National Park to inform visitors about unrepresented history. The (In)Visible Architects of Freedom Walking Tour and related research are still available to educators and NPS staff on the agency’s website.