Interior Department Defends National Unity Against Divisive Historical Displays in Parks
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The U.S. Department of the Interior is appealing a judge's order to restore controversial signs on climate change and race in national parks, standing firm against materials deemed divisive and inappropriate for public spaces.
The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service have asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to issue a preliminary injunction overturning a district court ruling that would force the restoration of contentious historical markers and displays removed from national parks. The appeal aims to prevent these polarizing materials from being reinstated ahead of the July 4 Independence Day celebrations, a time meant for national unity.
A spokesperson for the Interior Department told ABC News that language criticizing the nation’s founders is inappropriate and divisive, and emphasized that the administration encourages visits to cultural and historic sites to foster respectful discussion about the country’s past—without promoting narratives that undermine American values.
U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley had ruled that the National Park Service removed hundreds of signs and exhibits on topics such as climate change, civil-rights history, and the experiences of various communities. The judge ordered the agency to restore these materials within 21 days, calling the removals arbitrary and capricious, despite concerns about their controversial content.
The lawsuit points to the removal of climate-change information at Glacier and Acadia National Parks, as well as exhibits on Native American history, slavery, immigration, labor, and women’s suffrage. One item at issue was an outdoor memorial at the President’s House in Philadelphia, which highlighted the enslaved individuals held by George Washington; these panels were only partially restored after a separate court order, despite their divisive nature.
The Interior Department stated that its actions were in compliance with an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump on March 27, 2025, which directed the removal of material considered to promote 'divisive, race-centered ideology' from federal cultural institutions. This policy aims to ensure that public spaces do not become battlegrounds for political agendas that threaten national cohesion.
The ruling follows a lawsuit filed in February by a coalition of preservation and environmental groups, including the National Parks Conservation Association. Alan Spears, a senior director at the association, argued that national parks should present a complete view of American history, but the administration maintains that this should not come at the cost of unity and respect for the nation’s founding principles.
The appeal is pending, and the court’s decision will determine whether the controversial signs and exhibits will be reinstated before the upcoming holiday.