Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia Condemn Removal of Slavery Exhibits at President’s House
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aston, Pennsylvania — January 23, 2026 — The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia strongly oppose the National Park Service’s removal of exhibits addressing slavery at the President’s House Site in Independence National Historical Park.
Founded in this historic city, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia are deeply connected to the story of a nation born here — a nation whose ideals of liberty and equality cannot be understood apart from the truth of slavery. The President’s House site has served as a memorial to the nine people enslaved by President George Washington whose lives and labor were essential to the early functioning of the new republic.
“The removal of these exhibits is not a neutral act,” said Sister Joanne Clavel, OSF, who spearheads the congregation’s justice and peace efforts. “It is an attempt to silence truth at a site specifically created to tell it.”
The dismantled panels illuminated the contradiction at the heart of the nation’s founding: that the promise of freedom proclaimed just steps from Independence Hall coexisted with the enslavement of human beings. This is not a distortion of American history. It is American history.
The sisters’ 2025 Corporate Stand on Dismantling Racism calls the congregation to be peacemakers and to actively work to overcome the divisions that separate persons, communities, and nations. It commits the sisters and their companions to honestly examine and address violence and injustice within themselves, their relationships, and the structures that shape society. The removal of these Philadelphia exhibits perpetuates such injustice — not by altering the past, but by obscuring it and limiting our collective ability to learn, repent, and grow.
“America’s strength has never been found in denial,” said Sister Kathleen McCabe, OSF, also an organizer of the congregation’s justice & peace efforts. “It is found in our willingness to face painful truths with honesty and courage. Erasing history does not heal wounds; it deepens them.”
The President’s House site is designated a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom location, affirming the essential role of truth-telling in the pursuit of justice. Removing educational materials about slavery from such a site undermines its purpose and dishonors those who endured generations of injustice.
“For generations, many of our sisters have dedicated their lives to the ministry of education,” said Congregational Minister Sister Theresa Marie Firenze, OSF. “We know from lived experience that education is not about assigning blame, but about honoring the truth of the past so we can move forward with wisdom and integrity. When we teach history honestly — especially its painful chapters — we affirm human dignity and create the possibility of a more just future.”
“We cannot dismantle racism if we refuse to face it,” said Sister Joanne. “We cannot build unity by pretending our divisions never existed.”
As Philadelphia prepares for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia call on federal authorities to restore the President’s House slavery exhibits and to honor agreements that safeguard honest historical interpretation.
Sister Kathleen echoed Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s earlier response to the removal of the exhibits: “Protecting our history is about telling the truth, even when it is uncomfortable. This is the patriotism our nation needs — not the whitewashing of history, but the courage to tell it fully and faithfully.”
Rooted in the Gospel call to be a healing and compassionate presence in a wounded world, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia hope for a peaceful resolution to this situation and for the proper restoration of the President’s House slavery memorial. They urge people of goodwill, civic leaders, and educators to advocate for the preservation of truthful public history at Independence National Historical Park and throughout the country — trusting that truth, even when painful, remains essential to justice, dignity, and reconciliation.
About The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia:
The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia is a community of more than 260 Catholic women religious committed to living the Gospel in the prophetic spirit of St. Francis of Assisi and their foundress, Mother Francis Bachmann. For more than 170 years, and with a legacy of over 4,000 sisters, the congregation has ministered to those in need across the United States and beyond. Today, the sisters serve in 11 states, Ireland, and Kenya, engaging in a wide range of ministries including healthcare, education, pastoral service, social services, spiritual ministries, and advocacy for justice. Rooted in a Franciscan way of life, they are committed to contemplation, poverty, and humility. They embrace a deep reverence for creation and strive always to be a healing, compassionate presence in a wounded world—especially among women, children, and those who have no voice.
