The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals should prevent the National Park Service from removing the Freedom and Slavery Exhibit at Independence National Historical Park, by affirming the district court’s granting the city of Philadelphia’s motion for a preliminary injunction, according to an amicus brief CREW submitted on behalf of the American Historical Association (AHA) in support of Philadelphia’s lawsuit.

Philadelphia is challenging the federal government’s attempt to restrict public access to historical knowledge about the nation’s past. The National Park Service’s removal of the Freedom and Slavery Exhibit in January 2026 is not an isolated act but rather is part of a broader political agenda, which seeks to alter and even hide certain aspects of American history that the current administration deems to “inappropriately disparage Americans.” 

The Freedom and Slavery Exhibit is an invaluable historical and educational resource. Several million people visit Independence National Historical Park each year, a large proportion of whom are schoolchildren. If the exhibit is removed, they will encounter an incomplete version of U.S. history. The Park Service has removed dozens of public exhibits across the country and in particular, those that focus on African American, Indigenous, or gender history. These actions are driven by political motives to promote a one-sided, overly positive view of American history, often at the expense of accuracy and transparency. The removal of the exhibit contradicts the Park Service’s mission to present a comprehensive, accurate history and undermines the public’s understanding of our past.

Around the world, efforts to censor discussions about difficult episodes in national history have been closely linked to democratic backsliding and a broader attack on free expression. Suppressing difficult historical truths hampers informed public discourse and has far-reaching implications for transparency, public access to information, and resistance to political censorship. 

For these reasons, the brief urges the appeals court to affirm the lower court’s granting Philadelphia’s motion for a preliminary injunction, stopping the Park Service from removing the exhibit, affirming Philadelphia’s efforts to protect the public’s right to an accurate and complete account of American history. 

Read the amicus brief here.

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