Philadelphia, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) has issued a response to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s decision to dismantle and remove the slavery exhibit at the President’s House site within Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.
The exhibit documented the lives of the nine enslaved Africans held by President George Washington while Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital.
Informational plaques about the lives of Washington’s nine specific slaves and slavery in general were removed based on an executive order signed in March 2025, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The order demands that museums and historical sites focus on positive aspects and achievements of American history and remove any exhibits that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”
“The removal of this exhibit represents a profound misstep in how our nation confronts and interprets its history,” said PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW. “Exhibits that acknowledge the full truth of slavery are not divisive. They are essential to understanding the depth and complexity of the American story. Pennsylvania has long led in efforts to promote inclusivity and historical honesty, and we will continue to stand firmly against any action that erases or diminishes the lived experiences of those who were enslaved.”
PHRC Philadelphia Regional Director Amber Harris emphasized the local and community impact of the decision: “Philadelphia is the birthplace of American democracy, and that history must be told in full and not selectively. The stories of the men and women enslaved at the President’s House are inseparable from this city’s legacy. Removing this exhibit undermines years of community advocacy and educational work to ensure that visitors understand both the promise of liberty and the reality of bondage that coexisted on this very ground.”
Director of Civil Rights Outreach Sheryl Meck underscored broader educational implications: “The public square must be a place where history is told in its entirety. Removing the slavery exhibit diminishes opportunities for intergenerational learning and honest dialogue about how the past continues to shape present-day inequities. Preserving these narratives is central to advancing equity, justice, and reconciliation.”
The PHRC has expressed support for challenging the removal of the exhibit and efforts to restore it to ensure that the legacy of slavery is not minimized or erased from historical spaces.
The City of Philadelphia is suing the federal government over the exhibit’s removal.
