Overview

• Plans by the National Park Service (NPS) to remove a statue of Pennsylvania founder William Penn from Philadelphia's Welcome Park were reversed after public outcry, primarily on social media platform X.
• Pennsylvania's Democratic Governor, Josh Shapiro, was among the critics of the statue's removal and announced his team had been in contact with the Biden Administration to reverse the decision.
• The NPS had initially planned to replace the statue and a replica of Penn's home with an expanded interpretation of Native American history in the region.
• William Penn, a Quaker, is known for his respectful treatment of Native Americans and his treaty with local tribes in the 1680s, which helped secure peace until the 1750s.
• The controversy has sparked discussions about the role of social media in influencing public decisions and the importance of preserving historical figures and events.