Trump commands National Gallery of Art to rid exhibit of depiction showing a slave with gruesome whip marks on their back, as decreed by the former president.
The photograph "The Scourged Back," which depicts the brutal treatment of slaves, has become the centre of a heated debate following reports that it may be removed from national parks.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior, no specific instructions have been given to remove the photograph from national parks. However, the department has confirmed that all interpretive signage in national parks is currently under review, as per the secretary's order called Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.
The photograph features a formerly enslaved man named Peter Gordon, with heavy scarring from whip marks visible on his back. The image, taken in 1863, spread quickly in the Northern United States upon its release, shocking the people there.
The order to remove information on slavery from national parks is reportedly an effort by the Trump administration to "scrub national parks" of what they call "corrosive ideology." President Donald Trump has ordered the removal of such information, and the order applies to all interpretive signage in national parks, not just the photograph "The Scourged Back."
Despite the department's statement, a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior disputes claims that parks have been told to remove the photograph. Corrective action will be taken if any materials were removed from national parks that should not have been, according to the spokesperson. However, the department has not confirmed or denied whether other materials related to slavery will be removed.
The Washington Post cited four people familiar with the matter, reporting that the photograph is being removed from Washington's National Gallery of Art. The department has not commented on this specific removal.
The department's stance on the removal of information on slavery from national parks remains in dispute. If corrective action is indeed taken, it will be a significant departure from the department's tradition of presenting a comprehensive and truthful account of American history.
It is important to note that the secretary who made decisions under President Donald Trump that affected the presentation of information about slavery in national parks was David Bernhardt.
The spokesperson did not provide specific details about the corrective action that will be taken if materials were inappropriately removed. The public awaits further clarification on this matter.
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