Virginia’s Democratic congressional delegation is demanding the restoration of Arlington House educational materials that cast Robert E. Lee’s role in history in a critical light.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents Arlington in the 8th Congressional District, led Democrats in demanding the National Park Service bring back a Junior Ranger Program activity booklet to Arlington House. The booklet was reportedly flagged for stating, “In 1829, Robert E. Lee promised to serve in the Army and protect the United States. In 1861, he broke his promise and fought for slavery.”
The representatives believe the removal was part of a June 2025 directive by NPS to review and remove signage and materials that make negative statements about past or present American historical figures. They are pushing NPS to return the activity book in time for the America250 events, which are expected to draw millions to Virginia and the D.C. region.
Along with Beyer, the letter to NPS Acting Director Jessica Bowron was signed by Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (D), Reps. Bobby Scott (D-3), Jennifer McClellan (D-4), Eugene Vindman (D-7), Suhas Subramanyam (D-10) and James Walkinshaw (D-11).
“As we approach America 250 celebrations that will center around our nation’s capital, it is essential that all families and other visitors who choose to make Arlington House part of their commemoration of this important milestone have full access to educational materials created to tell the story of this important Virginia site,” they wrote.
The officials say the statement about Lee is “historically accurate” and “essential to telling the story of Arlington House.”
“Lee not only resigned his commission, but betrayed his oath by participating in armed rebellion against the United States government,” they wrote. “Explaining that decision by Lee is essential to telling the story of Arlington House, which was acquired by the federal government soon after he resigned his commission and left Arlington to fight against the United States.”
ARLnow has reached out to NPS for comment.
The request comes after Kaine and Beyer introduced legislation to rename Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery as the Arlington House National Historic Site.
Arlington House, once a plantation owned by Robert E. Lee, is located on federal land managed by NPS inside Arlington National Cemetery. The site was originally named Arlington House when Martha Custis Washington’s grandson, George Washington Parke Custis, built the home as the nation’s first memorial to George Washington. Custis’ daughter, Mary Anna Custis, later married Robert E. Lee and lived in the home until the Civil War.
The Union Army seized the house as well as the grounds during the Civil War and turned it into a military cemetery. Congress changed the name from “the Custis-Lee Mansion” to “Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial” in 1972. At least 100 enslaved people worked at Arlington House for over 60 years, and descendants have called for renaming the historic site.
The full letter from the congressional delegation is below.
Dear Acting Director Bowron:
As Members of Congress representing the Commonwealth of Virginia, we write to ask that you return to circulation a Junior Ranger Program activity book that has been reportedly taken out of circulation at Arlington House. As we approach America 250 celebrations that will center around our nation’s capital, it is essential that all families and other visitors who choose to make Arlington House part of their commemoration of this important milestone have full access to educational materials created to tell the story of this important Virginia site.
Pursuant to a memo that you issued in June 2025, every NPS unit was directed to review all public signage, language, and historical resources to remove or change any that are subjectively negative about either past or living Americans. According to an NPS database, the Junior Ranger booklet was flagged for including the following line: “In 1829, Robert E. Lee promised to serve in the Army and protect the United States. In 1861, he broke his promise and fought for slavery.”
That phrase, along with the rest of the booklet, is not only historically accurate, but also important to understanding the context of the site. Robert E. Lee graduated from West Point in 1829. Upon commissioning into the United States Army, he took an oath that required him to “bear true allegiance to the United States of America” among other commitments to public service. Contrary to that oath, he resigned from the U.S. Army in 1861, and proceeded to take up arms in a war intended to break the United States and preserve the institution of slavery. Lee not only resigned his commission, but betrayed his oath by participating in armed rebellion against the United States government. Explaining that decision by Lee is essential to telling the story of Arlington House, which was acquired by the federal government soon after he resigned his commission and left Arlington to fight against the United States.
Given the upcoming America 250 events, we ask that you immediately return the Junior Ranger Program activity book to circulation, including all content prior to removal. Doing so will ensure that Arlington House is equipped to serve the many visitors who choose to make it part of their once-in-a lifetime historical and educational events this summer, and ensure access to age-appropriate educational content.
Additionally, we request that NPS provide our offices with a full accounting of any interpretive materials, including exhibits, signage, and Junior Ranger resources, that have been removed or altered at Virginia national park units pursuant to the June 2025 memorandum, and that NPS commit to notifying our offices prior to any future such changes. Ahead of America 250, Virginia’s national parks, which serve millions of visitors each year, are an invaluable resource for visitors to the Commonwealth. Any removal or significant alteration of educational materials at those sites risks undermining those sites and the complete, accurate, and historical resources they provide.
We request a commitment to meet those requests, as well as clarity on the Junior Ranger Program activity book, by June 2, 2026.
