President Joe Biden's National Park Service has revealed its intention to remove the statue of William Penn from Welcome Park in Philadelphia, the historic site associated with the founder of Pennsylvania and a crucial figure in early colonial history.
In a statement released on Friday, the National Park Service outlined the proposed rehabilitation plan for Welcome Park, emphasizing a desire for a more "inclusive" experience for visitors.
Biden‘s National Park Service to remove William Penn Statue from Philadelphia in order "to provide a more welcoming, accurate, and inclusive experience for visitors"
https://t.co/MMgYp27XN4— Trump2024_no_matter_what (@TexasTrump2024) January 7, 2024
The park, designed by the renowned Venturi & Scott Brown Associates, is situated on the grounds of William Penn's former home, the Slate Roof House, and derives its name from the ship "Welcome" that transported Penn to Philadelphia.
The proposed rehabilitation plan involves an expanded interpretation of Philadelphia's Native American history, developed in consultation with representatives from various indigenous nations.
The redesigned Welcome Park will retain certain elements of the original layout, such as the street grid, rivers, and east wall, while introducing new features like a planted buffer and a ceremonial gathering space.
The Penn statue and Slate Roof House model will be removed and not reinstated. Future efforts will involve installing new exhibit panels on the south site wall to replace the Penn timeline.
William Penn, a Quaker, is historically respected for his treatment of Native Americans in the region.
His ownership of slaves has led to the removal of his name from certain historic sites.
Welcome Park was constructed in 1982 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Pennsylvania's founding by William Penn in 1682.
President Donald Trump, in 2017, predicted that the removal of Confederate statues would be followed by the removal of statues of American heroes.
The proposed removal of William Penn's statue aligns with this ongoing trend. The news also comes as Biden kicked off his 2024 reelection campaign in Pennsylvania Friday.
The trend following the removal of several early American statues and other memorials with connections to slavery, adds to significant controversy as the changes extend to some of the nation's founding leaders.
The latest announcement comes as a frustration to many patriots who see America's history being revised or erased instead of taught to the next generation. The move comes alongside many other Biden administration revisions driving many to push for making the president's leadership one term through electing a new leader in November.
