Trump Intensifies Campaign to Rewrite American History

September 17, 2025

The Trump administration has ordered federal agencies to remove exhibits and materials highlighting slavery and racial injustice by September 17, with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issuing the directive that has sparked protests. In Philadelphia, activists are defending the President's House memorial site, which documents George Washington's enslavement of nine people while serving as the first president. The administration's actions are part of a broader campaign that includes a March executive order empowering Vice President JD Vance to review and remove "improper ideology" from Smithsonian programming.

Who is affected

Visitors to federal museums, memorials, and educational sites
Black Americans whose historical experiences may be minimized or erased
Communities in Philadelphia where the President's House memorial is at risk
Historians, curators, and scholars whose work may be censored
Federal agencies required to comply with the directive
Educational organizations using these exhibits for teaching purposes
Descendants of enslaved people whose family histories are documented in these exhibits

What action is being taken

Activists in Philadelphia are gathering to defend the President's House site
Community leaders are organizing legal, political, and activist strategies to keep the memorial intact
Protestors are conducting rallies to raise awareness about the directive
The Avenging the Ancestors Coalition is working to prevent the memorial's removal
Philadelphia activists are pressing for urgent meetings with the National Park Service
Historians are publicly criticizing the administration's approach to historical narratives

Why it matters

The directive threatens to sanitize American history by removing documentation of slavery and racial injustice
It represents a shift in control over the national historical narrative
The President's House exhibit specifically documents that George Washington enslaved nine people
The order affects educational resources that millions of visitors use to understand American history
Historians compare the approach to the "Lost Cause" ideology that downplayed slavery after the Civil War
The directive contradicts Trump's earlier statements praising museums like the National Museum of African American History and Culture
It could result in the removal of multimedia displays and detailed accounts of individuals like Ona Judge, who escaped slavery

What's next

Federal agencies must comply with the removal order by September 17
Activists in Philadelphia are seeking urgent meetings with the National Park Service
No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint