A federal appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration can install its own slavery exhibits at the President's House in Philadelphia, a historic site that once housed enslaved workers of early U.S. presidents. The decision, issued on June 18, 2026, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, overturned a lower court's injunction that had blocked the National Park Service from altering the existing exhibits.
The President's House, located at Independence National Historical Park, commemorates the lives of enslaved people who served Presidents George Washington and John Adams. The site has been a point of contention since 2020, when the Trump administration proposed new exhibits that critics say downplay the role of slavery in early American history. The appeals court ruled that the National Park Service has discretion over the content of federal exhibits, as long as it does not violate the First Amendment or other laws.
The ruling allows the National Park Service to proceed with its planned exhibits, which include a focus on the 'contributions of all Americans' to the founding of the nation. Opponents, including historians and civil rights groups, argue that the new exhibits whitewash history. The case is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.
