The Trump administration has ordered several National Park Service sites to take down materials related to slavery and Native Americans, including an 1863 photograph of a formerly enslaved man with scars on his back that became one of the most powerful images of the Civil War era.
The moves by the administration were outlined in internal emails reviewed by The New York Times and two people briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
The directives stemmed from President Trump’s executive order in March that instructed the Park Service to remove or cover up content that “inappropriately disparage Americans,” part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to promote a more positive view of the nation’s history.
Critics say the effort could lead to the erasure of the contributions of people of color, gay and transgender figures, women and other marginalized groups.
At Fort Pulaski National Monument in Georgia, Trump officials have directed Park Service staff to remove a reproduction of “The Scourged Back,” the famous photo that depicts the formerly enslaved man, Peter Gordon, exposing severe scars on his back from whippings, according to the emails and one of the people briefed on the matter.
The Washington Post first reported on the directive to remove the photo. Representatives for the National Park Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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The post Park Service Is Ordered to Take Down Some Materials on Slavery and Tribes appeared first on New York Times.
