Applaud the Judge for Defending Truth in American History

A federal judge just delivered a powerful victory for truth, accountability, and the preservation of our shared history.

Judge Cynthia Rufe ordered the Trump administration to restore slavery-related exhibits at the President’s House site in Philadelphia — rejecting an effort to erase the historical record of George Washington’s ownership of enslaved people and the courageous escape of Oney Judge. In a striking opinion, Judge Rufe made clear that government agencies cannot simply rewrite history based on political whims.

As she wrote, truth is not the property of those in power. Federal officials cannot decide which facts are convenient and which should disappear. The exhibits at the President’s House were not partisan statements — they were historically grounded acknowledgments of the full, complicated story of America’s founding.

By issuing this injunction, Judge Rufe affirmed a basic democratic principle: preserving history — including its painful chapters — is essential to honoring the law, the Constitution, and the generations who fought for freedom. Erasing the story of slavery does not uplift America; confronting it strengthens our commitment to justice.

Add your name to applaud Judge Cynthia Rufe for defending historical truth, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring that the full story of America — including the fight for freedom — is not erased for political convenience.