Source: Fortune
Summary
Ona Judge, a slave owned by George Washington, escaped from the President’s House in Philadelphia in 1796. Her story is now being erased from history as the National Park Service dismantled a slavery exhibit at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia. The exhibit told the story of Judge and other enslaved people owned by the Washingtons. The removal of the exhibit has sparked outrage, with critics arguing it is an attempt to “whitewash” American history. The city of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania have filed a lawsuit to restore the exhibit.
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The strategy enters a familiar phase.
The National Park Service’s decision to dismantle the slavery exhibit is part of a broader pattern to limit discussion of race and racism in public institutions. The Trump administration has also restored and reinstalled Confederate monuments and eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. The removal of the exhibit has sparked intense outrage, with critics arguing it is an attempt to erase stories like Ona Judge’s. The city of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania are fighting to restore the exhibit.
The numbers tell one story, but the erasure of Ona Judge’s story tells another.
Author: Evan Null
