06/19/2026
The President’s House slavery exhibit is the result of years of advocacy from the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, its founder Michael Coard, Esq., and countless others who believed that the history of the nine people enslaved by George Washington during the nation’s founding must be told accurately and honestly.
No matter how uncomfortable it may be for some, it is necessary to understand our past in order to shape our future. We cannot fully appreciate how far we have come or grasp the work that remains if we are not able to confront the realities of our nation’s history.
The decision by the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals to allow this history to be edited based on the whims of whoever is in power isn’t just wrong, it’s incredibly dangerous. I fully support our Mayor and her team in fighting this unjust decision and am committed to working with my fellow electeds, advocates, and our communities to ensure Philadelphia continues to be a place that embraces our nation’s complex history rather than hiding from it.
