The decision to remove this photograph from the interpretive displays at national parks is as shameful as it is wrong.
WASHINGTON - This week, The Washington Post published an exclusive story on history erasure in America’s national parks, reporting that the Department of Interior has ordered a famous Civil War-era photograph entitled “Scourged Back,” removed from at least one national park site.
The story also alluded to potential efforts brewing to erase history at Independence National Historical Park and Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park.
In response to the Post’s reporting, National Parks Conservation Association Senior Director of Cultural Resources Alan Spears released the following statement:
“Great countries don’t hide from their history. We learn from the past and confront it when necessary. The ‘Scourged Back’ photograph shocked the nation and the world with its honest depiction of the vicious nature of slavery. The decision to remove this photograph from the interpretive displays at national parks is as shameful as it is wrong.”
An 1863 photograph entitled “Scourged Back,” depicts an enslaved man named Peter with prominent whip scars. Per the Washington Post, the Department of Interior ordered this photo removed from at least one national park in 2025. Click photo to enlarge.
McPherson and Oliver circa 1863“Expert historians at the National Park Service spend a great deal of time determining what goes on display at national parks, and what the public can learn from it. This photo and other images and information have been painstakingly selected and contextualized to help park visitors understand the role slavery has played in our history. By contrast, the decision to remove them was rendered in a matter of weeks, with little regard for the complexity of American history or the importance of the Park Service’s hard work.
“Our national parks have the power to bring people together, to learn about our country’s trials and triumphs alike, and build a better world for future generations. The administration needs to stop meddling in American history at our national parks.”
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org
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