William Penn statue to remain in Philadelphia after public outcry

MSN ---Axios ^ | 1-9 | by Mike D'Onofrio

[dennisw]

The National Park Service reversed course Monday and abandoned its proposed removal of William Penn's statue from Welcome Park in Old City.

Why it matters: The withdrawn design incorporated Native American history rather than just the story of the state's founder, whose legacy has come under scrutiny for his ownership of enslaved people.

Driving the news: The Park Service said Monday evening that the draft plan, published on Friday, was "released prematurely and had not been subject to a complete internal agency review."

The agency added that it looks forward to a "robust public process to consider options for refurbishing the park in the coming years." Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a post on X that he worked with the Biden administration to correct the Park Service's original plan and was "pleased" the statue would remain.

Continue reading Between the lines: Friday's proposal came about following outreach from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and discussions with other tribes including the Delaware Nation, the agency said.

The intrigue: The confederacy of tribal nations contends the site of the park was given to them in the 1700s and remains theirs.

Zoom in: Outrage had been building about the possible changes to the site, part of Independence National Historical Park. The Park Service also proposed removing a monument to Penn's Slate Roof House, which sat on the site centuries ago.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Yes all these place names need to be changed if we’re going to cleanse our history like this.

If William Penn cannot be honored, then by extension, the state of Pennsylvania cannot be named after him.

Washington DC cannot be named after George Washington. The state of Washington would need a new name.

Was Georgia named after King George? I don’t know the origin of that name, but if it was named in honor of some person, and that person did not have a 21st century politically correct conscience, then that name has to go.

[Bookshelf]

Deb Haaland is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe who hails from New Mexico. A progressive Democrat, she successfully ran for Congress in 2018 and was re-elected in 2020. In December 2020, President Joe Biden nominated Haaland as his Secretary of the Interior. This position oversees public lands...

[dennisw]

1. George Washington inherited enslaved people at the early age of eleven.

John Trumbull’s 1780 painting of George Washington depicts William Lee, an enslaved man who was Washington’s body servant during the Revolutionary War. William Lee remained enslaved by Washington until the conditions of Washington’s will granted him freedom in 1799 (Metropolitan Museum of Art).

When Washington’s father Augustine died in 1743, George Washington inherited enslaved people at the early age of eleven. In his will, Augustine left his son the 280-acre family farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia. In addition, Washington was willed ten enslaved people. As a young adult, Washington purchased at least eight more enslaved people, including a carpenter named Kitt. Washington purchased more enslaved people in 1755, including four men, two women, and a child.

WASHINGTON’S CHANGING VIEWS ON SLAVERY

2. At the time of George Washington’s death, the Mount Vernon enslaved population consisted of 317 people.
Of the 317 enslaved people living at Mount Vernon in 1799, a little less than half (123 people) were owned by George Washington himself. Another 153 enslaved people were owned by the Custis estate. When Martha Washington’s first husband, Daniel Parke Custis, died without a will in 1757, she received a life interest in one-third of his estate, including enslaved people. Neither George nor Martha Washington could free these people by law and upon Martha’s death, these people reverted to the Custis estate and were divided among her grandchildren.

[drwoof]

Correct. They will resume with renewed vigor following the ‘election’.

[chopperk]

Hoq dumb can Pa. Administrators be? Instead of destroying Will’s Sculpture why not just add other Sculptures of Native Americans or whomever to the area for taxpayers to visit? What bunch of dummies!

[Vaduz]

The confederacy of tribal nations contends the site of the park was given to them in the 1700s and remains theirs.

Biden just pissed off another group of people that aren’t woke snow flakes.

[californian by choice]

This country is acting like lemmings, why this desire to self-destruct? It is a particular phenomenon of this country

[UnwashedPeasant]

"the draft plan ... was 'released prematurely'.... The agency added that it looks forward to a "robust public process to consider options for refurbishing...'"

In other words, this is a temporary stop until the heat is off and elections are over.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Why the reversal? Because this is an election for the DemonCrats. Traitorous, open borders, history denying, scum that they are.”

Another good Republican campaign ad.

[Repeal The 17th]

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[SunkenCiv]

• Biden admin to remove statue of William Penn from Philadelphia park and 'rehabilitate' the park to commemorate Native Americans [01/07/2024]
• Biden Admin: There's No Room for William Penn in... Pennsylvania. Another statue comes down. [01/08/2024]
• No changes planned to William Penn statue in Philly, park service says [01/08/2024]
• William Penn statue to remain in Philadelphia after public outcry [01/09/2024]
• National Parks Service Pulls Plan to Remove Philadelphia's William Penn Statue [01/09/2024]
• Democrats' Statue Toppling Is A Dress Rehearsal For Going After Actual People [01/09/2024]