US Judge Orders Restoration of Slavery Memorials Removed Under Trump Decree

A federal judge in Boston has issued a temporary injunction requiring the US government to reverse removals of historical markers related to slavery, racism, and discrimination in national parks and public spaces. The ruling targets the National Park Service, which had removed plaques and monuments under a March 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." The order directed the Interior Department to review all memorials for content that "portrays American history in a negative light," leading to the removal of slavery-related plaques at George Washington's former house in Philadelphia and climate change references nationwide. Judge Angel Kelley ruled that the administration's actions constitute an attempt to "rewrite the nation's history with a correction pen," emphasizing that the US must present its full history, especially ahead of the 250th anniversary of independence. The injunction gives the government 21 days to reinstate all removed monuments and reverse alterations, with a deadline just before July 4. A coalition of historical, conservation, and scientific organizations filed the lawsuit. The case awaits a final ruling.