The panel had been installed by the American National Parks Service (NPS) to remind of the racist views of Senator Francis Newlands (1846-1917). It has since been removed by the Donald Trump administration. This decision was made in accordance with a presidential decree aiming to “restore truth in American history” as the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence approaches on July 4. Signed in March 2025, the text requires that monuments and panels under the Department of the Interior – which oversees the NPS – highlight the “greatness” of the country’s achievements and not “diminish Americans, past or present.”
“History disappears in the middle of the night”
It mandates the review of panels, videos, as well as books and memorabilia by officials at over 400 sites. Most modifications are still under consideration. However, in Philadelphia, an exhibition on the history of slavery was dismantled at the end of January. This led to a legal battle after the city filed a complaint to have it reinstated. Some panels have been put back in place pending a final decision. In Washington, lawyer David Sobel took legal action last month following the removal of the explanatory panel dedicated to Senator Francis Newlands.
The panel recalled his role in the late 19th century development of the Chevy Chase neighborhood, where sales of homes to Black and Jewish individuals were prohibited. It also reproduced a 1913 newspaper headline stating that the senator “supported a project to send Blacks back to Africa.” It was installed in 2022 after years of local residents and officials’ efforts. However, it was quietly removed in late 2025, leaving only the original inscription, engraved in stone, portraying Francis Newlands as a statesman who “always had at heart the interests of all men.”
David Sobel compared this deletion to book burnings under Nazi Germany, but with less public spectacle: here, “history disappears in the middle of the night,” he said. “And in a way, it’s even more frightening.” When asked, the Department of the Interior said they were implementing Donald Trump’s decree. “The president has asked federal agencies to review explanatory contents to ensure their accuracy, honesty, and alignment with common national values,” the department said in an email, without further details.
The return of controversial figures
Donald Trump also reinstated the names of military bases named in honor of Southern generals who fought to preserve slavery during the Civil War. These names, along with many other symbols, were removed during Joe Biden’s presidency in the wake of anti-racism protests by the Black Lives Matter movement that shook the country during the billionaire Republican’s first term. Last October, the only outdoor monument honoring a Southern general in Washington was reinstalled.
