Interior Department Appeals Judge Order to Restore Removed Historical Materials in National Parks
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The U.S. Department of the Interior has filed an appeal to block a federal judge's order requiring the restoration of climate-change, civil-rights and other interpretive signs removed from national parks, citing a pending injunction request.
The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on Monday to issue a preliminary injunction that would overturn a district court ruling ordering the restoration of historical markers and displays removed from national parks. The appeal seeks to halt the reinstatement of the materials before the July 4 Independence Day celebrations.
A spokesperson for the Interior Department told ABC News that the agency believes language that criticises the nation’s founders is inappropriate and divisive, and said the administration encourages public visits to cultural and historic sites to foster discussion about the country’s past.
U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley had ruled that the National Park Service had removed hundreds of signs and exhibits covering topics such as climate change, civil-rights history and the experiences of diverse communities. The judge ordered the agency to restore the materials within 21 days, describing the removals as arbitrary and capricious.
The lawsuit cites specific removals, including climate-change information at Glacier National Park and Acadia National Park, and exhibits related to Native American history, slavery, immigration, labor and women’s suffrage. One contested item was an outdoor memorial at the President’s House in Philadelphia that honored enslaved individuals held by George Washington; the panels were partially restored after a separate court order.
The Interior Department said the actions complied with an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump on March 27, 2025, which directed the removal of material it deemed “divisive, race-centered ideology” from federal cultural institutions.
The ruling follows a broader lawsuit filed in February by a coalition of preservation and environmental groups, including the National Parks Conservation Association. Alan Spears, senior director for cultural resources at the association, said national parks should present a complete view of American history.
The appeal is pending, and the court’s decision will determine whether the restored signs and exhibits will be reinstated before the upcoming holiday.