A coalition of historians, conservationists and scientists has taken the Trump administration to court, accusing it of systematically stripping national parks and monuments of exhibits and signage dealing with slavery, climate change and Indigenous history.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Boston, names the U.S. Department of the Interior and challenges what the groups describe as an aggressive campaign to recast how history and science are presented across more than 430 national park sites. Among the plaintiffs are the National Parks Conservation Association and the American Association for State and Local History, joined by several other advocacy organizations.
At the center of the dispute is a March 2025 executive order signed by Donald Trump, directing federal agencies to root out what it termed a “revisionist movement” portraying the United States as inherently flawed. The order instructed the Interior Department to review content at parks, monuments and memorials for what the White House called “false revisions of history.”
Following that directive, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued guidance that led the National Park Service to flag and begin removing hundreds of signs, displays and educational materials nationwide, according to the complaint.
Among the changes cited: signage at Acadia National Park explaining the effects of climate change and the cultural significance of Cadillac Mountain to the Wabanaki people. Plaintiffs argue such removals sidestep congressional mandates governing how national parks must be operated and interpreted.
The legal action in Boston came just a day after a federal judge in Pennsylvania ordered the reinstatement of a slavery-focused exhibit at the President’s House site within Independence National Historical Park. The display detailed the history of enslaved people held by George Washington during his presidency. Its removal had drawn sharp criticism from scholars and civil rights advocates.
In a parallel challenge filed in New York, community groups are contesting the removal of the Pride flag from Stonewall National Monument — the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights history.
Plaintiffs in the Boston case argue the administration’s actions amount to censorship, asserting that scientific findings and difficult chapters of American history are being selectively excised without transparent reasoning. They contend that the policy violates statutory obligations and undermines the educational mission of the park system.
An Interior Department spokesperson defended the policy, saying it seeks to ensure that parks present a “full and accurate” account of American history. The department also criticized the legal advocacy group representing the plaintiffs.
The courtroom battle now unfolding could determine how the nation’s public lands tell their stories — and who gets to decide which chapters remain on display.
