The Brief<\/p>\n
About 150 people rallied Thursday at the President\u2019s House site in Philadelphia after the National Park Service removed exhibit panels about slavery.<\/p>\n
The panels told the stories of nine people enslaved in George Washington\u2019s home during America\u2019s founding.<\/p>\n
Local and state leaders, activists and stakeholders are calling for the exhibit\u2019s restoration, while a legal fight over the removal continues.<\/p>\n
PHILADELPHIA – About 150 people gathered at the President\u2019s House site on Thursday, calling for the return of exhibit panels about slavery that were removed by the National Park Service more than two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Community rallies for restoration of slavery exhibit at President\u2019s House site<\/p>\n
What we know<\/p>\n
The rally, organized by Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), was multicultural and brought together city and state officials, activists and stakeholders. ATAC originally fought for the creation of the slavery memorial at the President\u2019s House.<\/p>\n
“To erase slavery is to erase American history,” said Yvonne Studevan, a descendant of Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the AME Church. Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson led the crowd to chant, “When we fight, we win.” Councilman Mark Squilla added, “Erasing or minimizing the history does not honor progress. Learning from it does.”<\/p>\n
The event lineup had singing, prayer and speeches including one from WURD radio host Solomon Jones, who said, “We have streets named after people who were enslavers, we have places that have history markers that tell you people were sold into slavery at Front and Market.”<\/p>\n
Members of “Embracing Race \u2013 The Conversation” held a sign listing the names of the nine people enslaved at the first President\u2019s House. Sharon Ritz named them as Austin, Joe Robinson, Paris, Hercules, Oney Judge, Richmond, Giles, Moll and Christopher Sheels.<\/p>\n
The rally took over the intersection of 6th and Market streets, with participants urging the National Park Service to restore the panels that analyzed slavery and freedom during the nation\u2019s founding.<\/p>\n
Legal battle over exhibit removal continues<\/p>\n
The backstory<\/p>\n
The city of Philadelphia has sued the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service over the removal of the panels.<\/p>\n
In court, U.S. attorneys argued that the National Park Service has the authority to manage and revise interpretive materials at the President\u2019s House site.<\/p>\n
Avenging the Ancestors Coalition filed an amici brief supporting the city\u2019s lawsuit. Founder Michael Coard said, “We agree with their arguments about the contract breach, but to us there\u2019s a 2000 pounds elephant in the room that\u2019s racism so we called it racism.”<\/p>\n
Dan Harrington of “Embracing Race \u2013 The Conversation” said, “This is going on all over the country with national parks, national monuments, stripping any kind of uncomfortable truth.”<\/p>\n
ATAC is also planning its annual President\u2019s Day event next Monday to continue telling the stories of the nine enslaved individuals who served in Washington\u2019s household.<\/p>\n
U.S. attorneys representing the National Park Service maintain that the agency has ownership, management and control over the site\u2019s interpretive materials, including the decision to remove or revise them.<\/p>\n
Cheryl Robinson of “Embracing Race \u2013 The Conversation” said, “We can\u2019t erase history. The truth is the truth. The truth will set you free. The truth is the light.”<\/p>\n