The National Park Service is walking back its plan to remove a statue of William Penn. The purpose of the plan was to revitalize the Philadelphia park and make it more “welcoming, accurate, and inclusive” for visitors.
The government agency planned to expand its Native American history and rehabilitate the park that is located at the historical figure’s former home.
William Penn is known as the founder of Pennsylvania, a state rich in early U.S. history. Way before the freedom of religion was enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, Penn dreamt of a colony where Quakers, along with all kinds of Christians, could come together and worship freely.
The statue of Penn that the National Park Service planned to remove is on display at Welcome Park, a park dedicated to Penn and named after the ship he took to Philadelphia.
The park service said the proposal to rehabilitate the park was released “prematurely” and did not get a complete “internal agency review” before its release.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., said he was in touch with the Biden administration to correct the decision.
Other statues around the country have toppled in a recent movement to remove certain historical figures who had ties to slavery or the Confederacy during the Civil War.
The National Park Service said it still plan to revitalize Welcome Park but will draw up a new plan that leaves the Penn statue in place.
