National Park Service removes historic films about mill workers in Lowell

A debate is growing in Massachusetts over how American history should be told after two historical films were removed from public viewing at the Lowell National Historical Park.

The films documented the lives of mill workers, including women and immigrants, who helped build the city of Lowell during the Industrial Revolution.

One film described how factories were “noisy and unhealthy,” with workers exposed to dangerous conditions, but also highlighted Lowell’s transformation into a diverse city shaped by generations of newcomers.

Robert Forrant, a history professor at UMass Lowell and Lowell resident, said removing the films risks leaving out key parts of the city’s identity.

He told NBC10 Boston the city’s early history is deeply tied to immigration and women entering the workforce and that telling the story, “warts and all,” is essential to preserving the truth about how Lowell developed.

“Having those stories available to people when they come to visit the park or they go online and look at the material in the park is critically important,” Forrant said.

State Rep. Tara Hong, whose district includes Lowell, is now pushing our federal lawmakers to restore the films, sending a letter to U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, all Massachusetts Democrats, earlier this month.

“I don’t see anything wrong in [the films]. [They] just showed the beautification of our city of Lowell,” he said. “It’s a story that really resonates with many of us here in the city of Lowell.”

Hong is an immigrant himself, having moved to the United States from Cambodia in 2013.

The controversy comes as the U.S. Department of the Interior implements Secretary’s Order 3431, a directive stemming from the administration of President Donald Trump that calls for federal agencies to review historical content to ensure it aligns with what the order describes as accurate and shared national values.

The order has also prompted a federal lawsuit and preliminary injunction filing from preservation and environmental groups, who argue the policy could lead to the removal or alteration of historical materials at national parks across the country.

Markey has criticized the films getting taken down in Lowell, even posting one of them to his YouTube page.

“If we don’t learn from history, we are bound to repeat it, and that’s why I’ve put the video up,” Markey said. “I now have tens of thousands of views because people care about history.”

In a statement to NBC10 Boston, the National Park Service said the films were flagged for review as part of the federal directive, but emphasized that being flagged does not mean the material will be changed or removed permanently.

The agency said staff were asked to identify items that might warrant clarification, and that in most cases across the national park system, materials identified for review remain unchanged.

The debate comes at a symbolic moment for the city, just weeks after Lowell marked its 200th birthday back on March 1.