NPS Restores Harriet Tubman Content After Public Backlash

The National Park Service (NPS) has reinstated original content on its Harriet Tubman and Underground Railroad webpage after public backlash over unauthorized edits that removed Tubman's image and altered references to slavery. Advocacy groups and civil rights leaders criticized these changes as attempts to diminish Tubman's legacy, coinciding with broader federal efforts against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content. NPS spokesperson Rachel Pawlitz confirmed that the edits were made without the approval of agency leadership, though the reasons for the changes remain unclear. The original webpage emphasized Tubman's role in the resistance to enslavement, while the edited version reframed the Underground Railroad as a civil rights movement that downplayed the brutal realities of slavery. The incident highlights ongoing debates about historical representation in public institutions and the vigilance of advocacy groups in preserving important narratives. Historians and educators have condemned the edits, affirming Tubman's significant contributions to American history.