The National Park Service has reverted edits and reinstated the content on its webpage concerning Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad following public outcry over the alterations.
The changes to the Underground Railroad page on the National Park Service’s website were executed without approval from NPS or Department leadership, as stated by NPS spokeswoman Rachel Pawlitz in an email. The page was promptly restored to its initial content.
Restoring Historical Accuracy
The modifications, initially reported by The Washington Post, involved eliminating Tubman’s image from the page’s header and making various textual adjustments. A comparison of the pages using the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine highlighted alterations that omitted references to slavery and revised descriptions of the issue and its harsh realities.
For instance, the original opening sentence highlighted the railroad’s pivotal role in “the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight.” In contrast, the revised version portrayed the railroad as “one of the most significant expressions of the American civil rights movement,” illustrating how it “bridged the divides of race, religion, sectional differences, and nationality.”
Government Shifts and Revisions
This issue arises amid widespread governmental changes to align with President Donald Trump’s campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in the federal sector. In some instances, officials have hastened to retract and subsequently reinstate online content as discrepancies surfaced.
Trump’s focus on the Smithsonian network of museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, has led to efforts to eliminate what he deems as “improper ideology” in the institution’s portrayal of American history. Vice President JD Vance has been tasked with overseeing this initiative.
Public Outcry and Reversals
Notable controversies include the Pentagon’s removal of pages related to the Navajo Code Talkers’ contributions in World War II and Jackie Robinson’s military service, both of which were swiftly restored following public backlash.
Although NPS officials acknowledged the Tubman edits, they denied any intention to diminish her significance or soften the harsh truths of America’s history with slavery.
Civil rights advocates, including Bernice King, have decried these changes as an assault on truth and an attempt to erase history essential for societal progress.
