Trump scores win in fight to keep slavery and climate displays out of national parks

Trump scores win in fight to keep slavery and climate displays out of national parks A U.S. appeals court on Thursday lifted a judge's order requiring President Donald Trump's administration to reinstall dozens of slavery exhibits - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A U.S. appeals court has temporarily halted a judge's order that mandated the reinstallation of numerous exhibits removed from national parks, which covered sensitive topics such as slavery and climate change. The decision by a three-judge panel of the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals puts on hold a directive requiring the National Park Service to restore displays removed under Donald Trump's administration, which targeted exhibits deemed to "inappropriately disparage Americans past or living." Last month, Boston-based U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley had concluded that the removal of these displays from national parks constituted an unlawful attempt by the administration to "rewrite the nation's history with a white-out pen." Judge Kelley's ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed by groups representing park conservationists, historians, and scientists. These organizations accused the administration of orchestrating a concerted censorship campaign aimed at eradicating aspects of American history that did not align with Donald Trump's ideals. However, the 1st Circuit panel, composed entirely of judges appointed by Democratic presidents, agreed to pause Kelley's ruling while the administration pursues an appeal. The court indicated that the government was likely to succeed on appeal, primarily because the plaintiffs had not adequately demonstrated that the policy would cause them irreparable harm during the ongoing litigation. Brooke Menschel, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at the liberal advocacy group Democracy Forward, described the ruling as a disappointing but "temporary procedural setback," emphasizing that the court did not address the legality of the administration's actions. "Unfortunately, for now, the decision allows the administration to continue removing and altering interpretive materials that are critical for millions of visitors to understand our nation's history," Menschel stated. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, issued a statement asserting that it has "encouraged Americans to visit our cultural and historic sites and engage in meaningful conversations about the moments that have shaped our country." At least 51 exhibits across 37 sites nationwide have been removed or discarded from parks. These actions were taken to comply with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's implementation of an executive order Donald Trump signed in March 2025. Donald Trump's executive order specifically targeted what he termed a "revisionist movement" that depicted the United States as "inherently racist, sexist, oppressive or otherwise irredeemably flawed," and called for changes across parks nationwide. Among the exhibits removed was one at the President's House in Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park, which detailed George Washington's ownership of enslaved people. The lawsuit challenging these removals was initiated in February by groups including the National Parks Conservation Association and the American Association for State and Local History. Judge Kelley, appointed by President Joe Biden, had previously argued that without a preliminary injunction, these groups would suffer "aesthetic, recreational and informational harms." Yet, the appeals court noted that the groups had presented only a single member who claimed specific harm without an injunction, based on the absence of park material that could educate her children. The court concluded, "As the Department points out, however, the plaintiffs do not allege that any material has yet been removed from the parks that the member identifies as the ones that she has specific plans to visit this summer." Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments