Attorney Michael Coard of Avenging the Ancestors Coalition speaks during Friday morning’s silent vigil as Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visits Independence National Park.
—TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN
A nighttime view of the President’s House on Independence Mall lends even more significance to the site. Video re-enactments, illustrated glass panels, and timelines tell the story of the home where Presidents George Washington and John Adams lived during their terms and where nine enslaved people served the first president.
—GREATER PHILADELPHIA TOURISM MARKETING CORPORATION/GEORGE WIDMAN
—
**Silent Vigil Protests Proposed Changes to President’s House Interpretations**
Philadelphians gathered Friday morning at the President’s House in Old City for a silent vigil to protest proposed changes to the site that would remove mentions of President George Washington’s slaves when he lived there.
Dozens of residents from all walks of life organized speeches and observed a nine-minute silent protest near the corner of 6th and Market streets, where the former executive mansion stood during Washington’s seven years in Philadelphia.
Historical records show Washington kept nine slaves on the property, despite it being illegal to bring them into Pennsylvania.
The White House has issued a directive to remove references of slavery on the site, which is part of the National Park Service, as part of the Executive Order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”
Friday’s gathering was in response to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum’s visit to Independence National Park to shoot a video and enjoy a private tour of historical sites.
—
**Organizers Call for Truth Amid Controversy**
Protest organizer Michael Coard, with the President’s House/Slave Memorial Coalition, said he hoped to engage Burgum about President Donald Trump’s directive, which Coard called “historical blasphemy.”
Coard is the founder of the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, which played a key role in creating the Slavery Memorial at the President’s House. Upon learning Thursday afternoon that Burgum would be in town, Coard quickly mobilized supporters to gather.
“We have been trying to communicate with his office and his staff since last week and have not gotten a response,” Coard told reporters after the protest. “We have a letter drafted by our attorneys that we hope to get to one, hand to him, and two, build a bigger army by inviting people to find out what’s going on. It appears to be an overwhelming success. We got a bigger crowd than expected based on an approximate 12 hours’ notice to the public.”
The two groups did not interact in person Friday morning. Burgum exited the Liberty Bell pavilion from the south and crossed Chestnut Street into the Independence Hall area, while protesters were giving speeches on the north end of the complex.
—
**City Council Resolution Condemns Efforts to ‘Whitewash’ History**
City Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson introduced a resolution on behalf of Council President Kenyatta Johnson on Thursday, condemning the efforts to “whitewash, suppress and rewrite American history.”
The resolution followed a White House deadline for books and materials that the administration says “contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times),” per the executive order released in March.
“The president has directed federal agencies to review interpretive materials to ensure accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values,” a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior said in an email to the Tribune on Friday.
“Reviews are site-specific. Any proposed changes will follow established legal and policy procedures. Implementation is underway, but timelines will vary by site. Each bureau will follow Departmental guidance to complete reviews consistent with the Executive Order and Secretary’s Order.”
Johnson told reporters Thursday he was uncertain about the fate of the materials deemed inappropriate at the site. The spokesperson for the Interior Department said, “they will remain DOI property as does any exhibits that are changed out throughout the years.”
—
**Legal Challenges and Calls to Preserve History**
Before the event, Coard discussed a possible response to the removal or censoring of the materials, indicating the removal would likely trigger a legal challenge. He also expressed opposition to moving the content elsewhere.
“This is the only site of America’s first White House,” Coard said in defense of keeping materials visible. “There’s only one of them, and it was right here that George Washington enslaved nine and 316 [slaves at Mount Vernon], so you can’t move it. It has to stay here.”
President Trump’s executive order also called for “sufficient funding … to improve the infrastructure of Independence National Historical Park, which shall be complete by July 4, 2026.” However, no plans have been announced with the semiquincentennial less than 10 months away.
Coard believes that efforts to remove aspects of history leave an incomplete story of the United States and how far the nation has come.
“The best way to love a country is to know all the good and bad things that have happened,” he said. That includes acknowledging that the “Father of Our Country” held 316 people in bondage.
“Don’t censor American history,” Coard said after the rally. “Many people think we’re talking about not censoring Black history, but Black history is American history. So if you love America, if you’re a true patriot, you got to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That’s what we want the president to do.”
—
**Stay Informed and Connected**
Subscribe to The Philadelphia Tribune NOW!
—
**Community Comment Guidelines**
– Keep it Clean: Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist, or sexually-oriented language.
– PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
– Don’t Threaten: Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
– Be Truthful: Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
– Be Nice: No racism, sexism, or any sort of “-ism” that is degrading to another person.
– Be Proactive: Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to notify us of abusive posts.
– Share with Us: We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts and the history behind an article.
—
**Additional Context:**
Has job hunting as a Black Gen Zer come with more halts and frustration than expected? You’re not alone. Unemployment rates for Black/African American youth in Philadelphia are higher than other racial and age groups.
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/dont-censor-american-history-during-federal-officials-visit-to-philly-supporters-of-slave-memorial-hold/article_2aa030db-5c2f-48ce-b3b9-3b81007d15da.html
