7 times Trump admin. has been accused of erasing black history

3. Underground Railroad webpage

Anti-slavery crusader Harriet Tubman is seen in a picture from the Library of Congress taken by photographer H.B. Lindsley between 1860 and 1870.
Anti-slavery crusader Harriet Tubman is seen in a picture from the Library of Congress taken by photographer H.B. Lindsley between 1860 and 1870. | REUTERS/Library of Congress/Handout

In April of last year, the National Park Service drew criticism when reports surfaced alleging that it had edited a webpage about the Underground Railroad to remove a photo of Harriet Tubman and a quote from her, and to tone down any references to racial slavery.

For example, although the original website defined the Underground Railroad as "the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight," the edited version called it "one of the most significant expressions of the American civil rights movement during its evolution over more than three centuries."

For its part, NPS reversed a majority of the changes, with the webpage once again showing Tubman prominently featured and the original description of the Underground Railroad.

NPS spokeswoman Rachel Pawlitz stated in an email to several news outlets that the changes had been made without proper permission, The Associated Press reported at the time.

"Changes to the Underground Railroad page on the National Park Service's website were made without approval from NPS leadership nor Department leadership," said Pawlitz. "The webpage was immediately restored to its original content."

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