A federal appeals court granted the Trump administration a reprieve Thursday from reinstalling national park exhibits discussing issues like slavery and climate change.
The National Park Service has taken down — and, in some cases, destroyed — books, exhibits and signs, following an order from President Donald Trump that called for the removal of exhibits that either “disparage” Americans past or present or failed to direct visitors’ attention to the beauty of public lands.
Judge Angel Kelley of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts last month ordered the stripped content reinstated, although the administration protested that the undertaking was nearly impossible. Some material taken down was no longer available and would have to be reprinted or refabricated, officials said.
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday temporarily stayed Kelley’s order, giving the administration time to appeal. The members of the three-judge panel were all appointed by Democratic presidents.
The National Parks Conservation Association and six other advocacy and history groups had sued the Trump administration in February to block removal of park history content, shortly after the administration’s high-profile dismantling of an outdoor exhibit on slavery at Independence Hall National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The city has sued to reinstate that exhibit and some panels were restored before a different appeals court intervened. A final decision on the exhibit has not been made.
Asked about the 1st Circuit ruling, the Interior Department said it has “encouraged Americans to visit our cultural and historic sites and engage in meaningful conversations about the moments that have shaped our country.”
The agency said: “By telling the full story, every triumph, every challenge, and every step towards a more perfect union we strengthen our shared understanding and ensure that future generations inherit not just the land we love, but the truth of the journey that brought us here.”
Brooke Menschel, senior counsel at Democracy Forward, the legal organization representing the park groups, called the panel’s order “a temporary procedural setback.”
“The First Circuit did not condone the Trump-Vance administration’s censorship or issue any ruling on whether its actions are lawful,” Menschel said in a statement. “We remain committed to defending the integrity of these treasured public spaces and ensuring they continue to work to tell the full American story, guided by history and the law.”
