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3w ago

Trump Administration Alters Underground Railroad Webpage, Downplays Harriet Tubman’s Role

The National Park Service has revised its Underground Railroad webpage, emphasizing 'Black/White cooperation' and removing references to slavery, as part of a broader campaign to reshape historical narratives.

A portrait of Harriet Tubman (ca. 1820-1913).
A person sits next to the Harriet Tubman Monument before the unveiling ceremony at Harriet Tubman Park in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., March 9, 2023.
Image
TOPSHOT - People walk by a bus with a mural of US abolitionist and former slave Harriet Tubman on it, as they arrive to attend the public viewing for George Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Texas on June 8, 2020.

Overview

  • The National Park Service removed Harriet Tubman’s image and quote from its Underground Railroad webpage, replacing them with a collage of stamps featuring abolitionist figures.
  • The revised webpage now highlights 'Black/White cooperation' and 'American ideals of liberty and freedom,' while omitting references to slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act.
  • This move is part of a broader Trump administration effort to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and reframe American history to emphasize shared values.
  • Edits to other National Park Service pages have removed mentions of systemic racism, slavery, and inequality, including references to Black Revolutionary War soldiers and Benjamin Franklin’s relationship with slavery.
  • Historians and civil rights advocates have criticized these changes as historical erasure, warning of their long-term impact on public understanding of American history.