Overview

• Internal emails and sources cited by the New York Times identify Fort Pulaski National Monument in Georgia as the site where a reproduction of the 1863 photo known as “The Scourged Back” was ordered removed.
• At Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, more than 30 signs referencing racial discrimination were flagged as “out of compliance,” with staff told to cover or remove portions, according to documents and people familiar with the review.
• Additional actions reported include instructions that materials at Philadelphia’s President’s House Site do not comply, and an order to remove a sign criticizing the “Lost Cause” myth at Manassas National Battlefield Park.
• The Department of the Interior publicly disputes media accounts of removals as unverified, while the National Park Service says all interpretive materials are under review and may be modified if they overemphasize negative aspects without broader context.
• The initiative stems from President Trump’s March order and has expanded to federal museums, with critics including historians and advocacy groups warning the effort risks politicizing interpretation and erasing critical history.