Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson (Second District) released the following statement today:
“History should not be rewritten or erased because it is difficult or uncomfortable. Removing educational materials that document the experiences of the enslaved people who lived and labored at the President’s House does not change what happened. It only denies future generations the opportunity to learn from our past.
“The decision to remove these panels by the U.S. Government this week only reinforces how troubling this action is. Carrying out these removals violated the community’s trust and diminished a site built through years of public engagement, collaboration, and consensus.
“Philadelphia has long embraced the responsibility of confronting history with honesty. We cannot celebrate the promise of liberty while ignoring the realities of slavery that existed alongside it.
“Removing the original exhibits is an effort to continue whitewashing American history. Removing items from the President’s House merely changes the landscape, not the historical record.”
“I support Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and her administration as they continue to pursue every legal avenue available to ensure these important issues receive full consideration.”
