Court examines Philadelphia's authority to make government keep slave exhibits

A federal appeals court sharply questioned lawyers for the city of Philadelphia on Tuesday over their lawsuit seeking to restore a slavery exhibit to the President’s House site in the city, which is operated by the federal government.

Court examines Philadelphia's authority to make government keep slave exhibits

TL;DR

  • A federal appeals court heard arguments regarding Philadelphia's lawsuit to restore a slavery exhibit at the President's House.
  • The Trump administration argued that the Department of the Interior has the right to curate exhibits on federal property.
  • The city of Philadelphia argued that the exhibit was a permanent installation and should not have been removed.
  • The exhibit, titled "Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation," focused on nine slaves who lived at the site.
  • The exhibit was removed in January following a Trump executive order concerning National Park Service displays.
  • The court's panel included judges appointed by Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump.
  • The article also briefly mentions ongoing litigation over renovations to the White House East Wing.