How do you know what you know?
Did you learn it in school, read it in a newspaper? Did you get your information on social media or though chatter with friends?
Even in an age of misinformation and disinformation – which we really need to start clearly calling propaganda – we continue to rely on old ways of knowing. We take it for granted that if we really need to get to the truth, there’s a way to do it, even if it means cracking the pages of one of those ancient conveyors of wisdom, a book.
But we are entering an era in America when knowledge is about to be hard to come by. It would be easy to shrug off this escalation of the war on truth as just more Trump nonsense, but it is indeed much more than that. Authoritarians take power in the short term by fear and maybe force. In the long term, they rely on ignorance – an erasure of knowledge to leave people believing that there was ever anything different than what is.
This is how our kids, future generations, come to be controlled. They simply don’t know what was, and therefore are at a great disadvantage in imagining what could be.
This week, the White House altered a photo of Nekima Levy Armstrong, the civil rights lawyer arrested in Minneapolis for protesting inside a church.
The original photo shows Armstrong in handcuffs being led away by a federal officer with his face blurred out. Armstrong is composed and steady in this image.A veteran of social justice movements and a trained attorney, she appears as one might expect, her expression troubled but calm.
In the photo released by the White House, Armstrong is sobbing, her mouth hanging open in despair. In what is clearly nothing more than overt racism, it appears her skin has been darkened. Her braided hair, neatly styled in the original picture, is disheveled in the Trump image.
The Biden Administration Restores Historical Exhibits on Slavery at the President’s House in philadelphia
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the Biden administration has reinstated exhibits at the President’s House in Philadelphia detailing the lives of enslaved individuals who lived and worked there during George Washington’s presidency, reversing a decision made by the Trump administration in 2019. The move signifies a renewed commitment to acknowledging and interpreting the full history of the site, including its connection to slavery.
Background on the President’s House and its Exhibits
The President’s House, located in Philadelphia, served as the official residence of President George Washington from 1790 to 1797. During this time, Washington and his family resided there with nine enslaved African Americans: Hercules, Oney Judge, Austin, Giles, Moll, Christopher sheels, Joe Richardson, Paris, and Richmond.In 2019, the Trump administration directed the National Park Service to remove interpretive signage detailing the lives of these enslaved individuals, sparking criticism from historians and advocates for racial justice. The removal was part of a broader effort to downplay the role of slavery in American history.
The National Park Service provides detailed historical information about the President’s House and the enslaved people who lived there.
The Trump Administration’s Removal of Exhibits
the decision to remove the exhibits was made in December 2019,following a directive from the Trump administration. The exhibits, which included panels detailing the lives of the enslaved individuals, were taken down in January 2020. Critics argued that the removal was a deliberate attempt to erase the history of slavery and minimize its impact on the nation’s founding. The local ABC affiliate reported on the removal and the ensuing controversy.
According to a tweet from the White House,the administration responded to inquiries about the photo by stating that the exhibits were removed to focus on the building’s architectural history.
The Biden Administration’s Restoration
The Biden administration reversed the Trump administration’s decision in January 2024,reinstating the exhibits and reaffirming the importance of telling the complete story of the President’s House. The restored exhibits provide visitors with a more comprehensive understanding of the site’s history, including the experiences of the enslaved individuals who were integral to its operation. The restoration was announced as part of a broader effort by the administration to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in national parks and historic sites.The White House released a statement on Martin luther King Jr. Day, highlighting the administration’s commitment to racial justice and historical accuracy.
The restored exhibits include detailed biographies of Hercules, Washington’s enslaved chef, and Oney judge, who escaped from slavery and became a symbol of resistance. These stories, previously marginalized, are now central to the interpretation of the President’s House.
