Judge orders Trump admin to restore slavery exhibits at President's House Site
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A federal judge has ordered the restoration of interpretive panels telling stories of people who were enslaved at the President's House site in Philadelphia, siding with city officials and advocacy groups who argued that removing the displays erased the history of enslaved people held by George Washington.
What began as a protest at the President's House on Monday afternoon turned into a celebration when supporters learned of the ruling.
"I have great news. We just won in federal court!" Avenging the Ancestors founder Michael Coard announced to the cheering crowd.
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Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, which joined the city's lawsuit, said the decision affirms the importance of telling the full story of the nation's founding.
"The fact that the judge granted the preliminary injunction is a tremendous victory. When I say tremendous, that's actually an understatement. It's historic," said Coard.
The judge ordered that the panels be reinstalled and that the President's House be restored to its appearance before Jan. 22, the day the displays were removed following an executive order from the Trump administration.
Philadelphia officials argued the federal government had no authority to take down the panels because of a cooperative agreement between the city and the government. Federal lawyers countered that the agreement expired in 2010.
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In her 40-page decision, the judge found that a survival clause in the agreement keeps certain provisions in effect. She also barred the federal government from taking any further action that could damage the panels or alter the site. The ruling came after the judge visited the location in person.
"Once she saw the panels, once she came to the site, I was confident she was going to do the right thing," Coard said.
The City of Philadelphia argued in its lawsuit that removing the panels would cause "irreparable harm."
Federal District Judge Cynthia Rufe, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, noted that Philadelphia contributed millions of dollars to the project and wrote that eliminating the stories of enslaved people means "the city of Philadelphia is deprived of the ability to honestly and accurately tell the story of its own history."
In her decision, the judge added, "Each person who visits the President's House and does not learn of the realities of founding-era slavery receives a false account of this country's history."
Supporters hailed the ruling as a major step toward preserving that history.
"Better than fighting the good fight is winning the good fight. And today we won," Coard said.
The federal government may still appeal.
The Department of the Interior did not respond to a request for comment.
