Federal judge orders restoration of climate, slavery and LGBTQ+ signage in national parks
A U.S. district judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Trump administration to reinstate removed interpretive signs on topics such as climate change, slavery and LGBTQ+ history at national park sites before the July 4 holiday.
U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley in Boston granted a preliminary injunction on Friday ordering the Trump administration to restore interpretive signs that had been removed from national park sites under an executive order aimed at eliminating language deemed negative toward the United States. The order covers signage addressing climate change at Fort Sumter, references to President Washington’s slaves at Independence National Historical Park, a pride flag at Stonewall National Monument, and content about Japanese-American internment at Manzanar, among others. Kelley wrote that the parks "play an important role in telling the multifaceted history of America, including the good, the bad, and the ugly" and must have the removed material reinstated before the Fourth of July.
The injunction follows a lawsuit filed by a coalition of conservation and historical organizations, which argued that the executive order was erasing factual history and scientific information. Alan Spears, senior director of cultural resources at the National Parks Conservation Association, said the parks serve as "living classrooms" and should present both triumphs and hardships.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the Interior called the ruling the work of a "liberal activist judge" and said the department will consider appeal options. The executive order, signed by former President Trump in March 2025, directed more than 430 National Park Service sites to review language on monuments, memorials and markers to ensure it did not disparage Americans, and added QR codes for visitors to report violations.
