Philadelphia Archaeological Forum

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who agreed to sign on to the brief. Despite the brief time we had to gather them, we were able to garner thirty-one signatories.

The good news is that on April 27th, our brief was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. A huge thank is due to attorneys Jim Davy and Chelsea Stine of All Rise Trial & Appellate, a public interest law firm, who make our filing possible. Thanks are also due to Sharon Ann Holt, Randall Miller and Patrice Jeppson, who helped in developing the brief and in recruiting signatories.

The final version of the amicus brief is attached. I am sure you will be happy to know that we are in illustrious company. As of today, friend of the court briefs have also been filed by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, the Senate Democratic Caucus of the Senate of Pennsylvania, the American Historical Association, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware Counties (Pennsylvania), Professor Adam Rothman, and Avenging the Ancestors Coalition and The Black Journey.

Currently, oral arguments on the federal government’s appeal to block the lower court’s preliminary injunction requiring the full restoration of the uncensored exhibit material at the President’s House Site are due to be heard by the Third Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals on June 2^nd.

Undoubtedly, there will be many ups and downs before there is a resolution to this case and to the larger matter of the exhibits at the President’s House. The national fight to overturn the pernicious nationwide effects of Executive Order 14253 is likely to be at least as protracted. Whatever the final outcome, as we continue the fight for a full and honest reckoning with our complicated and sometime dark history, let us take a moment to appreciate that, by signing on to this brief, we have raised our voices in support of that ultimate goal.

Yours,

Jed Levin

National Park Service (Retired)

Vice President, Philadelphia Archaeological Forum