At a Glance
- Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro filed a legal document backing Philadelphia’s lawsuit against the Trump administration for removing the slavery exhibit from the President’s House.
- The lawsuit claims the removal violated a 2006 cooperative agreement between the city and federal government.
- A public hearing is set for January 29, 2026 to decide if the panels should be returned.
Why it matters: The case highlights a national debate over how historical narratives are presented in public spaces and the legal limits of executive action.
The removal of the slavery exhibit from the President’s House at Independence Mall has sparked a legal showdown between the City of Philadelphia and the Trump administration. Governor Josh Shapiro has joined the city’s lawsuit, arguing that the exhibit’s removal breached a cooperative agreement and erased an important part of the nation’s history.
The President’s House and the 2006 Agreement
The President’s House is the site where President George Washington lived and worked while in office. For more than two decades, it housed an exhibit that examined the history of slavery at the site. In 2006, the city and the federal government reached a cooperative agreement on how to manage Independence Mall, including the exhibit.
The agreement required both parties to collaborate on displays that reflected the full scope of American history. The removal of the exhibit, therefore, was seen by the city as a violation of that agreement.
Legal Action and Governor Shapiro’s Support
On Tuesday, Governor Josh Shapiro filed a legal document supporting Philadelphia’s lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that the removal of the exhibit was a unilateral action that contradicted the 2006 cooperative agreement.
In a press release, Shapiro said, “Donald Trump will take any opportunity to rewrite and whitewash our history – but he picked the wrong city and the wrong Commonwealth. In Pennsylvania, we learn from our history, even when it’s painful. We don’t erase it or pretend it didn’t happen. Because when we know where we’ve been, we can chart a better course for the future. Those displays aren’t just signs – they represent our shared history, and if we want to move forward as a nation, we have to be willing to tell the full story of where we came from.”
The city’s lawsuit seeks the return of the panels and a formal apology. It also demands that the federal government restore the exhibit or provide a comparable display.
Mayor Parker’s Statement and the Public Hearing
Mayor Cherelle Parker posted a video on social media on Tuesday night announcing that a public hearing is scheduled for Friday, January 29, 2026. She said the city wants the panels that were “forcibly removed” returned.
The hearing will allow the city to present evidence that the removal violated the 2006 agreement and to argue for the panels’ return. The city also plans to discuss broader issues of historical representation in public spaces.
Trump Administration’s Reason for Removal
The Trump administration cited an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March 2025. The order instructs the government to “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.”
Under this order, several plaques and markers depicting slavery were removed from the President’s House in Independence Historical Park. The administration argues that the removal was consistent with the executive order’s mandate to prevent content that could be seen as disparaging.
City’s Argument: Violation of the Cooperative Agreement
The city’s lawsuit centers on the 2006 cooperative agreement, which set guidelines for how displays on Independence Mall should be managed. The agreement required joint decision-making and respect for historical accuracy.
By removing the exhibit without city consent, the federal government allegedly breached that agreement. The city argues that the removal was not only a legal violation but also an act of historical erasure.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2006 | City and federal government sign cooperative agreement on Independence Mall. |
| March 2025 | President Trump signs executive order on public monuments. |
| Early 2025 | National Park Service removes slavery exhibit from President’s House. |
| Tuesday, 2025 | Governor Shapiro files legal support for the lawsuit. |
| Friday, January 29, 2026 | Scheduled public hearing on the return of the panels. |
Key Takeaways
- The lawsuit highlights the tension between federal executive power and local agreements on historical displays.
- Governor Shapiro’s involvement signals a strong state-level commitment to preserving historical accuracy.
- The public hearing on January 29, 2026 will be a pivotal moment for both sides to present their arguments.
- The case may set a precedent for how other cities can challenge federal decisions that affect historical interpretation.
The outcome of this legal battle will have implications for how history is taught and displayed across the United States. As the city and the federal government prepare for the upcoming hearing, the nation watches closely to see whether the panels will be restored or whether a new narrative will replace them.
