The park was built by the Friends of Independence National Historical Park in 1982 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of Philadelphia with the arrival of Penn’s ship, Welcome.
In August 1682, Penn took 100 passengers and 36 crew members on a harrowing voyage from Deal, England to Pennsylvania. It took roughly 58 days in this crowded ship that was only 120 feet in length and 24 feet wide. The 100 passengers were mostly part of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, from Sussex, England.
The NPS announced that it wants to remove the statue as part of an “expanded interpretation of the Native American history of Philadelphia” being developed in collaboration with representatives from the Haudenosaunee, the Delaware Nation, the Delaware Tribe of Indians, the Shawnee Tribe and the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma.
The NPS site soliciting suggestions appears to rule out the retention of the statue as one of those options: “The Penn statue and Slate Roof house model will be removed and not reinstalled.”
I personally think that including contextual elements on the Native American tribes is a good idea. That can be achieved without the removal of the Penn statue and hopefully the NPS can still be convinced to opt for a design that still retains the focus on Penn and his ship, which was the worthy purpose of the park.
The story of Penn and these families is worthy of celebration. It was an example of the strength and bravery of families who came to these shores in search of freedom and opportunity.
Update: The NPS has withdrawn its plans to remove the statue of Penn from Welcome Park on inclusivity grounds. nps.gov/inde/learn/new The decision proves Penn’s point when he declared “only trust thyself, and another shall not betray thee.”