WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County has joined Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware counties in filing a joint amicus brief supporting the City of Philadelphia’s lawsuit seeking to restore slavery-related exhibits removed from the President’s House historic site by the U.S. National Park Service, escalating a regional dispute over how America’s founding era is presented to the public.
The brief, filed Monday, argues that the removal of the exhibits undermines honest and inclusive historical interpretation at one of the nation’s most significant sites, particularly as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary. The President’s House, located at Sixth and Market streets, served as the executive mansion in the late 1700s, where Presidents George Washington and John Adams lived and worked alongside members of their households, including enslaved people.
County leaders say the case carries particular weight for Chester County, which they describe as deeply intertwined with the nation’s early history and the legacy of slavery and freedom. Chester County Board of Commissioners Chair Josh Maxwell said the county could not remain silent in the face of what he characterized as unlawful historical revisionism.
“We will not stand by as the federal government attempts to rewrite history by breaking the law,” Maxwell said. “Chester County was an important part of the Underground Railroad, home to the nation’s first Historically Black College and University, and the birthplace of civil rights leaders. In filing an amicus brief, we continue our commitment to acknowledging the abhorrent legacy of slavery and working to remedy it.”
The joint filing emphasizes the counties’ geographic proximity to Philadelphia and their shared role in the nation’s founding, arguing that removing the exhibits diminishes public understanding of the full historical record. Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Chair Jamila H. Winder said confronting uncomfortable truths strengthens, rather than weakens, communities.
“Instead of whitewashing our history, we should be taking action to ensure that all members of our community, no matter their backgrounds, can live the American Dream,” Winder said. “We must stand firm on our convictions that our history makes us stronger, better, and braver.”
Bucks County Board of Commissioners Chair Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia echoed that view, warning that attempts to erase the past risk repeating it. She said Bucks County’s own historical roots compel leaders to face history directly and strive for progress rather than denial.
Delaware County Council Chair Richard Womack framed the dispute as a matter of federal overreach, saying local and regional governments must defend the integrity of their shared history. “Our history is imperfect, but it is ours, and the federal government can’t rewrite it or ignore it the moment they find it inconvenient,” he said.
The counties were represented on a pro bono basis by Ballard Spahr LLP. Philadelphia Managing Partner Marcel Pratt, a former city solicitor, said the case raises broader democratic concerns, arguing that suppressing historical truth threatens the nation’s ability to learn from its past.
The City of Philadelphia’s lawsuit seeks to compel the National Park Service to restore the exhibits, which detail the presence and lives of enslaved individuals at the President’s House. For Chester County officials, the legal action is not only about a single historic site, but about preserving an accurate public record that reflects both the nation’s ideals and its failures.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.