The National Archives Removed Anti-Trump Messages From a Photo of the Women’s March
American women won the right to vote in 1920, and the National Archives is currently presenting an exhibit marking the 100th anniversary of the landmark civil rights victory. But visitors have noticed that one part of the historical exhibition is censoring recent history—a photograph from the 2017 Women’s March has been edited to blur anti-Trump protest signs.
The image is a picture of march attendees, and the word “Trump” has been blurred out of protest signs reading “God Hates Trump” and “Trump & GOP—Hands Off Women.” Words referencing genitalia on signs like “This Pussy Grabs Back” were also censored for the National Archives’ exhibit.
The Archives acknowledged making the changes in a statement to The Washington Post. “As a non-partisan, non-political federal agency, we blurred references to the President’s name on some posters, so as not to engage in current political controversy,” it read. “Our mission is to safeguard and provide access to the nation’s most important federal records, and our exhibits are one way in which we connect the American people to those records. Modifying the image was an attempt on our part to keep the focus on the records.”
But the anti-Trump protest messages are an integral part of the historical record of the Women’s March, which was organized in response to his election and first held just one day after his inauguration. The fourth annual march is being held Saturday.
“There's no reason for the National Archives to ever digitally alter a historic photograph," historian Douglas Brinkley told the Post. "If they don't want to use a specific image, then don't use it. But to confuse the public is reprehensible. The head of the Archives has to very quickly fix this damage. A lot of history is messy, and there's zero reason why the Archives can't be upfront about a photo from a women's march."
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