A Silver Lining in Philadelphia?
Trump’s history “whitewash” at the President’s House now becomes more obvious to everyone
This is what visitors to the President’s House now see in Philadelphia. It’s a stark reminder of what the administration does not want people to see and understand. Photo by Jim Murphy, author of “Real Philly History, Real Fast.”
I’m glad the current administration finally pulled the trigger on its threat to tell only feel-good stories about slavery at the President’s House in Philadelphia.
Because now Philadelphia guides have a powerful new story to tell tourists about the past.
And the truth is much clearer and more dramatic than before.
It stares people right in the face
Instead of walking around various exhibits to see stories and illustrations about the evils of slavery, Philadelphia visitors now can plainly see what their current governments thinks of them. Empty panels.
This administration thinks we are stupid
It believes Americans and others are too dumb to understand nuances about horrible problems of our past. So it has taken away any negative references to slavery.
Since Philadelphia won’t tell a happy story of slaves frolicking about in William Penn’s “greene Country Towne” … Trump World has removed informational panels that offend its delicate sensibilities.
And that makes our story better than ever. Because it shows how afraid this current administration is of the truth. It can’t handle the truth.
Not the Hallmark History Channel
I love to tell tourists that we are not the Hallmark History Channel.
We are the Real Philly History Channel, telling the whole truth about slavery and everything else about our past — the very good and the very bad.
The real slavery story
Slaves (or enslaved persons) were chained below deck on ships and brought to America against their will. Once here in Philadelphia, they were sold on High (now Market) Street, often beaten, the women sexually assaulted, and families broken up … never to see one another again. And they worked for free … against their will.
Slavery was a real issue at the President’s House.
Why? Because President George Washington himself had nine slaves in Philadelphia. And his secretary Tobias Lear advised him to rotate these slaves out of the state every six months to prevent them from being legally emancipated under Pennsylvania’s 1780 Gradual Abolition Act. Washington did so and asked Lear to keep their discussions a secret.
Slavery sucked … for everyone … except the slave owners who made money off of them.
Frankly, I’d like to see some of the more prominent members of the current government be forced to undergo just a bit of the treatment slaves typically experienced … and then see how much of a feel-good story they would tell.
Unfortunately, that won’t happen.
These hand-written signs were quickly pulled down. But more will go up. Philadelphians are fighting back … and will continue to. It’s part of our nature and our national ancestry. Americans don’t like tyrants, then or now. Photo by Jim Murphy.
But I hope some good comes out of this disgraceful attempt to lie about our history.
No history cowards here
I hope tourists from the U.S. and abroad flock to Philadelphia … and to the President’s House in 2026 and beyond.
Here, they’ll learn the real story about the founding of our country. And they’ll see living proof that we are not history cowards … although our current government leaders certainly are.
I invite one and all to come learn the whole truth about slavery in Philadelphia. Discover real history … not made-up feel-good history … in the city where our country declared independence 250 years ago on July 4, 1776.
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