theguardian.com
National Park Service Revises Underground Railroad Webpage, Removing Harriet Tubman
The National Park Service removed Harriet Tubman's image and quote from its Underground Railroad webpage, replacing it with content emphasizing "Black/White Cooperation," reflecting the Trump administration's broader effort to remove DEI-related content from federal websites.
- What are the specific actions taken by the Trump administration to remove DEI-related content from federal websites, and what are the consequences of these actions?
- This change is part of a larger pattern of revisions to federal websites, aiming to minimize mentions of slavery and DEI. The Pentagon also removed DEI-related content, and other historical pages have been altered or removed, reflecting a concerted effort to reshape the narrative of American history.
- What is the immediate impact of the National Park Service's revision of the Underground Railroad webpage, and how does it reflect the broader aims of the Trump administration?
- The National Park Service removed Harriet Tubman's quote and image from a webpage about the Underground Railroad, replacing it with content emphasizing "Black/White Cooperation." This follows a broader Trump administration effort to revise federal websites, removing references to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
- What are the potential long-term implications of these website changes for public understanding of American history, and how might this influence future discussions about race and equality?
- The revisions to historical webpages suggest a potential long-term impact on public understanding of American history, potentially downplaying the role of slavery and the struggles for racial equality. This selective sanitization may affect how future generations perceive these crucial historical events.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The revised webpage's framing significantly alters the narrative of the Underground Railroad, shifting the emphasis from the resistance to slavery by enslaved people to a more palatable narrative of interracial cooperation. The use of images of stamps depicting both Black and white abolitionists, overlaid with the text "Black/White Cooperation," immediately sets the tone, downplaying the role of enslaved individuals and their agency in their own liberation. The removal of Tubman's quote and image further reinforces this framing bias. The introductory paragraph's revised description of the Underground Railroad as "one of the most significant expressions of the American civil rights movement" misrepresents the historical context and significance of the Underground Railroad, distorting its central purpose and downplaying the brutality of slavery. This shift minimizes the historical struggle against enslavement and presents a sanitized version of a complex and violent historical event.
Language Bias
The use of the phrase "Black/White Cooperation" is loaded language, implying an equal partnership that belies the historical reality of slavery and the power imbalance between enslaved people and their white allies. The phrasing suggests a collaborative effort where agency is shared equally, ignoring the inherent inequality and the risks faced disproportionately by enslaved people. A more neutral alternative would be "collaboration" or "assistance from abolitionists", which would acknowledge the diverse forms of support without minimizing the power dynamics involved. The removal of any mention of the word "slavery" further contributes to this sanitized and misleading account. Using more neutral and descriptive language is important to accurately reflect the historical context.
Bias by Omission
The revised webpage omits crucial context regarding slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act, minimizing the true nature of the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman's role in defying it. The focus on "Black/White Cooperation" downplays the systemic oppression faced by enslaved people and the inherent power imbalance in the fight for freedom. The omission of details about the brutality of slavery and the risks involved in escape misrepresents the historical reality. The change in description of the Underground Railroad from a resistance movement to an expression of the Civil Rights movement diminishes the significance of its role in the fight against slavery.
False Dichotomy
The framing of "Black/White Cooperation" presents a false dichotomy, ignoring the complex power dynamics between enslaved people and their white allies. It simplifies a multifaceted struggle for freedom, obscuring the systemic nature of oppression and the unequal power relationships inherent in the fight against slavery. The narrative fails to acknowledge the diverse range of resistance strategies and the crucial contributions of enslaved people themselves, prioritizing a simplistic narrative of interracial harmony that glosses over the significant injustices of the time.
Gender Bias
While Harriet Tubman is still depicted on a stamp, the removal of her prominence on the page itself indicates a potential gender bias. The focus shifts away from a powerful Black woman leading the fight for freedom to a more generalized depiction of "cooperation." The analysis lacks specific examples of gender bias in language or sourcing, but the overall change creates a less prominent role for Tubman and the experiences of other women involved in the Underground Railroad.
Sustainable Development Goals
The removal of Harriet Tubman from the Underground Railroad webpage and the sanitization of historical narratives about slavery undermine efforts to acknowledge the systemic inequalities that contribute to poverty and perpetuate its cycle. Ignoring the struggles of enslaved people and minimizing the impact of slavery hinders a complete understanding of historical poverty and its lasting effects.