US EditionJudge invokes George Orwell’s ‘1984’ in ordering restoration of Philadelphia slavery exhibit
Judge Cynthia M. Rufe ruled the Trump administration violated a 2006 agreement by removing slavery exhibits, ordering their restoration and protection at a historic Philadelphia site.
- On Monday, U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe issued a 40-page ruling and preliminary injunction ordering restoration of the President's House site and barring further changes.
- On Monday, the City of Philadelphia sued the NPS, Jessica Bowron, and Doug Burgum over the removal of slavery exhibits following President Donald Trump's order on January 22, 2026.
- The exhibit included 34 explanatory panels and footprints memorializing Ona Judge, with her saying, `I had friends among the colored people of Philadelphia, had my things carried there beforehand, and left Washington's house while they were eating dinner.`
- Rufe found federal agencies exceeded their authority and ruled Philadelphia is likely to prevail, ordering mitigation to protect stored panels and exhibits while ensuring site security.
- Activists and officials tied the judge's order to a broader pattern of federal actions, including the removal of the Philadelphia slavery exhibit and restoration of Confederate monuments, amid the upcoming 250th anniversary.
41 Articles
41 Articles
Trump administration ordered to restore George Washington slavery exhibit it removed in Philadelphia
By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM An exhibit about nine people enslaved by George Washington must be restored at his former home in Philadelphia after President Donald Trump’s administration took it down last month, a federal judge ruled on Presidents Day, the federal holiday honoring Washington’s legacy. The city of Philadelphia sued in January after the National Park Service removed the explanatory panels from Independence National Historical Park, the sit…
Comparing Trump Admin to Ministry of Truth in Orwell's 1984, Judge Orders Slavery Exhibits Restored
On Presidents Day, a federal judge compared the Trump administration removing displays about slavery from a historical site in Philadelphia to the actions of the propaganda agency in George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984.
Judge compares Trump's removal of slavery exhibit to Orwell's Ministry of Truth in blistering ruling
Tourists inspect a display entitled 'The Dirty Business of Slavery' at the President's House on August 9, 2025 in Philadelphia. (Photo by Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)In a scathing opinion, U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia Rufe, a George W. Bush appointee, ordered the federal government to restore exhibits on slavery that had been removed from the President’s House in Philadelphia last month. While the order provides no deadline for the govern…
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