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Trump Admin Erases Jefferson Slavery Plaque; Court Halts Restoration

6/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

Trump administration stripped slavery references from plaque beneath Thomas Jefferson’s portrait at Second Bank of the United States.
The original plaque recorded Jefferson’s failure to end slavery and the 1776 enslaved population, while revised text praises his vision of education and liberty.
Judge ordered National Park Service to restore exhibit before July 4, while Third Circuit appeals court paused order, as Avenging the Ancestors Coalition and historian Cheryl LaRoche condemned revisions erasing truth.

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Story summary

Trump administration stripped slavery references from plaque beneath Thomas Jefferson’s portrait at Second Bank of the United States.
The original plaque recorded Jefferson’s failure to end slavery and the 1776 enslaved population, while revised text praises his vision of education and liberty.
Judge ordered National Park Service to restore exhibit before July 4, while Third Circuit appeals court paused order, as Avenging the Ancestors Coalition and historian Cheryl LaRoche condemned revisions erasing truth.