After a backlash, National Park Service restores old Underground Railroad webpage that prominently features Harriet Tubman

The National Park Service on Monday returned an image of and quote from Harriet Tubman to a webpage about the Underground Railroad, following backlash after her presence on the page was dramatically reduced.

The National Park Service on Monday returned an image of and quote from Harriet Tubman to a webpage about the Underground Railroad, following backlash after her presence on the page was dramatically reduced. The agency said the reduced mention of Tubman had been made without approval by top leadership. Until mid-February, the top of the NPS’ “What is the Underground Railroad?” page featured a large photo of Tubman, the railroad’s most famous “conductor,” records from the Wayback Machine show. Next to it was a quote from Tubman about her experience coordinating the clandestine network for slaves seeking freedom. But sometime in February it was changed, swapping the large image of Tubman for small commemorative stamps of five abolitionists – among them Tubman – a screen grab from the webpage on March 19 captured by the Wayback Machine shows. Text on the stamps touted “Black/White Cooperation.” Tubman’s quote was removed and the text amended significantly in the updated version. The Washington Post first reported on the change Sunday, which prompted backlash from historians and educators. Asked about the restoration of Tubman’s image and quote to the page, an NPS spokesperson told CNN, “Changes to the Underground Railroad page on the National Park Service’s website were made without approval from NPS leadership nor Department leadership. The webpage was immediately restored to its original content.”