Court Permits National Parks to Remove Signs on Slavery, Climate

A federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration can continue removing signs and exhibits on topics like slavery and climate change from national parks. This decision overturns a previous ruling that had halted these actions.

This ruling is a temporary win for President Trump, who seeks to eliminate what he terms “woke” materials from federal sites. The Park Service will continue to remove certain materials while the court assesses the president’s directive further.

The executive order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” mandates that materials should avoid making Americans look negative and instead focus on progress and the beauty of the American landscape. In line with this order, several plaques and signs have been removed from national parks.

Last month, Judge Angel Kelley had stopped further removals and ordered the restoration of exhibits. She argued that national parks play a crucial role in educating visitors about complex historical issues and honoring contributions from diverse groups.

“From the echoes of abolition in John Brown’s Fort in Harpers Ferry to the genesis of the modern L.G.B.T.Q.+ civil rights movement at the Stonewall National Monument, to the retreating ice of Glacier National Park, the national parks preserve the multifaceted and multilayered history of our nation, including the good, the bad and the ugly.”

The appellate decision, authored by Chief Judge David J. Barron, found that Mr. Trump’s directive posed no immediate harm. The panel included Judges Julie Rikelman and Gustavo A. Gelpí.

Brooke Menschel of Democracy Forward stated that the decision is a temporary setback. The approval of removals coincides with a time when many Americans plan to visit parks during the semiquincentennial weekend.

Officials from the Interior Department, under which the Park Service operates, have not commented on the ruling.