The National Park Service (NPS) webpage about the Underground Railroad had its content altered, removing a large image of Harriet Tubman and her quote. This change was made without approval from top leadership. The reduced presence of Tubman drew sharp criticism from historians and educators, leading to the webpage's restoration.
The alteration, noticed in February, replaced Tubman's image with smaller stamps of several abolitionists. The change came amidst other modifications to government websites associated with a broader anti-DEI policy. This sparked accusations of minimizing Tubman's significant role in the Underground Railroad, prompting backlash.
After facing criticism and the story being reported in the Washington Post, the NPS restored the webpage to its original version, reinstating Tubman's image and quote. The NPS spokesperson attributed the initial changes to lack of approval by leadership and maintained the NPS's commitment to portraying complete and difficult historical narratives, pointing to separate national parks dedicated to Harriet Tubman.
Harriet Tubman, born into slavery, famously assisted many enslaved people escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad. The separate NPS page dedicated to her, however, remained unchanged.