Friend,

Our national parks and historic sites are more than scenic places; they are shared classrooms where we come to understand who we are, how we got here, and the truths our country has not always been willing to face. That is a huge reason why recent actions by the Department of Interior and the National Park Service are so deeply concerning.

At Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, the National Park Service has removed an exhibit examining the legacy of slavery at the President’s House site. The exhibit, advocated for by Black Philadelphians, documented the lives of people enslaved by George Washington while serving as president, and the profound contradiction between the nation’s founding ideals and the reality of enslavement in its early capital.

This was not an isolated decision. Across the country, materials addressing slavery, racial injustice, and even climate science have been flagged for removal or quietly taken down under a political directive to “restore truth and sanity to American history." More than 1,000 signs and exhibits at national parks have reportedly been reviewed or altered.

A strong nation does not shy away from uncomfortable truths about its history. Our democracy has endured because we have been willing to confront past wrongs, learn from them, and strive toward a more perfect union. When history is edited to exclude entire chapters, we all lose the opportunity to understand our country honestly and fully.

Congress has a critical oversight role to play. and must ensure that our national parks remain places of learning grounded in history and respect for the full American story.

Tell Congress: Protect the full truth in our parks
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Members of Congress have demanded answers from the Department of the Interior for months. In a letter led by Representative Jared Huffman, House Natural Resources Committee Democrats warned that sanitizing historical narratives and scientific facts undermines public trust and violates the National Park Service’s responsibility to present evidence-based history without political interference.

But to date, only a small number of elected officials have been willing to stand up for our history. Together, we must urge our members of Congress to stand up and oppose the whitewashing of our collective history at our national parks, historic sites, and other public land.

Thank you for standing up for our shared heritage and the integrity of our public lands.

In solidarity,
Sierra Club

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