A haunting photo of a formerly enslaved man whose back is heavily scarred by whippings has become a new flashpoint in President Donald Trump's efforts to alter how history is presented in the United States.
The 1863 photo of a man named Peter, known as the "Scourged Back" image, has long been used to show the horrific conditions in which enslaved people lived. Abolitionists used the photo from Harper’s Weekly to stir public sentiment against slavery. Peter, whose last name is unknown, served as a sergeant in the Black regiment in the Union Army during the Civil War, according to the National Portrait Gallery.
The Washington Post reported on Sept. 16 that the National Park Service had been ordered to stop using the photo in displays. A spokeswoman for the Department of the Interior said no park service sites were asked to remove the image, but acknowledged there is an ongoing review of all interpretive displays across the federal government.
Trump ordered the review in April as part of his longstanding belief that American history should be taught in a way that acknowledges historical facts but also promotes patriotism. The image is still available from the National Portrait Gallery, which is part of the Smithsonian.
