A federal judge ordered the National Park Service to return historical displays at the President's House Site in Philadelphia that acknowledge George Washington's ownership of enslaved people. The signs had been removed last month by the NPS, which claimed the action was for "accuracy, honesty and alignment with shared national values." The City of Philadelphia sued, and Pennsylvania's governor filed a supporting brief.
Judge Cynthia M. Rufe's ruling is a significant rebuke of the government's attempt to control historical narrative, comparing the NPS's actions to the "Ministry of Truth" in George Orwell's *1984*. The case highlights ongoing national debates over how slavery and founding figures are commemorated on public land, setting a legal precedent against the erasure of difficult history from federal monuments while the broader lawsuit proceeds.