In a unified stance, the counties neighboring Philadelphia—Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware—have thrown their support behind the restoration of the slavery exhibits at the President’s House Site, with a shared legal brief aiming to oppose the removal by the U.S. National Park Service, the exhibit stands at the crossroads of America's inception and its original sins, where Presidents Washington and Adams, alongside the households they maintained, lived and worked in the late 1700s. Chester County's statement emphasizes the region's integral role in both the nation's founding and the Underground Railroad, signaling a commitment to recognizing the scars left by slavery.
"Montgomery County is proud to stand with Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and the leaders of the other collar counties to say no to the erasure of our history," Jamila H. Winder, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, stated firmly, calling for an honest reckoning with the past while striving towards a collective American Dream. Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia of Bucks County echoed this sentiment, noting "Attempts to erase evidence of our history do not heal the stains of the past – quite the opposite, they make us weak and vulnerable to repeating our failures," and underscored the need for confronting history openly, according to Bucks County's statement on Chester County's website.
Ringing in with their own declaration, Richard Womack, Delaware County Council Chair, noted the responsibility to uphold a true narrative of America's history, despite its imperfections. The counties' united front is being legally represented by Ballard Spahr LLP at no cost, with Marcel Pratt, the firm's Philadelphia Managing Partner—and former Philadelphia City Solicitor—speaking out on the vital importance of preserving historical truth for the health of democracy, reports the official statement.
As the country approaches its 250th anniversary, these communities assert that the recognition and understanding of every facet of America's history, especially those that have shaped its core values and contradictions, are fundamental to progress, this belief underscored by Chester County’s parallel with its rich civil rights history and the fact it houses the nation's first HBCU, Josh Maxwell, Chair of the Chester County Board of Commissioners, stated "We will not stand by as the federal government attempts to rewrite history by breaking the law," illustrating the local government's dedication to a complete historical narrative, imparted by Chester County's official website.
