The National Park Service announced that it is reversing course on removing a statue of Pennsylvania founder William Penn from a historical park due to massive backlash against the decision.
The organization announced on Friday that it would remove both the statue and a replica of Penn’s home from Welcome Park, a recreation area within Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.
Per the original announcement, the NPS was seeking “to rehabilitate Welcome Park to provide a more welcoming, accurate, and inclusive experience for visitors.”
The stated replacement for Penn’s statue and home included an homage to American Indians.
“The proposed rehabilitation of Welcome Park includes expanded interpretation of the Native American history of Philadelphia and was developed in consultation with representatives of the indigenous nations of the Haudenosaunee, the Delaware…
