Paris Jeffries expressed deep concern over a recently erected, controversial monument featuring ‘sixteen clear-faced Black people with guns in their hands.’
Historians are increasingly worried that the current political climate under President Donald Trump could lead to significant historical erasure, particularly regarding topics like slavery, the civil rights movement, and LGBTQ+ history.
Markey emphasized to reporters, ‘President Trump and his minions are not just rewriting policy; they are trying to rewrite the history of the United States of America.’ He suggested that the administration is fostering a ‘climate of denial’ concerning the contributions and roles of Black and brown Americans in history.
The group, which included Jeffries and other Black leaders, gathered on Boston Common, where they stopped briefly at the Embrace monument honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, who met in Boston.
Their journey culminated at the African Meeting House on Beacon Hill, home to the Museum of African American History. Here, Markey spoke passionately about the importance of preserving historical narratives from the very pulpit once used by abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Maria Stewart.
Markey criticized the Trump administration’s directive to the National Park Service to remove references concerning Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad from its website and erase mentions of transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument page. Public outcry led to a restoration of the Tubman references but left many questions about future administrative actions regarding historical accuracy.
‘We must stand with museums and curators, teachers, and historians, and refuse to be complicit in the lie being told by the Trump administration,’ he asserted at a press conference.
Dr. Noelle Trent, president and CEO of the Museum of African American History, spoke candidly about the dangers of erasing uncomfortable aspects of history, describing such efforts as a continuing ‘erasure’ of vital narratives.
Trent encouraged attendees to support the museum financially, especially given the uncertainty surrounding federal funding for institutions dedicated to preserving Black history during Trump’s presidency.
In April, the museum received notice that a $500,000 federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services was terminated but later reinstated following a lawsuit led by attorney general Andrea Campbell and 19 other state attorneys general against the Trump administration. However, Trent highlighted ongoing uncertainties regarding the museum’s financial stability moving forward.
The museum collaborates closely with the National Park office in Boston, but Trent noted that funding from the Department of the Interior comes with additional requirements under the Trump administration, complicating the relationship.
‘If we were to receive funds, we are now being asked to align ourselves with not just current executive orders but any future directives,’ she explained.
Kyera Singleton, executive director of the Royall House and Slave Quarters in Medford, also raised concerns about federal funding for Black history museums. Although the Royall House does not rely directly on government funding, it has previously benefited from Mass Humanities, a nonprofit impacted by cuts to the National Endowment for Humanities.
Singleton articulated that the challenges faced by smaller house museums and sites dedicated to Black history highlight systemic inequalities in historical preservation efforts.
Event attendees also addressed how the Trump administration’s budget cuts have affected the National Park Service.
Kristen Sykes, Northeast regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association, revealed that the Park Service has lost approximately 24% of its workforce since Trump took office.
She expressed deep concern over the proposed $1 billion budget cut to the Park Service in Trump’s 2026 budget proposal, noting that it could lead to the closure of numerous national parks across the country.
‘We’re already seeing huge impacts, with over 4,000 staff who have either been fired, retired, or taken buyouts,’ Sykes stated.
Reflecting on the importance of parks and monuments in preserving collective memory, Paris Jeffries posited, ‘This is why the Park Service matters, because memory needs a body, grass, and granite, a place where stories breathe and people can gather.’
He concluded, ‘Monuments are a city’s vocabulary.’
image source from：bostonglobe
