Susan Phillips

In her ruling, U.S.

District Judge Cynthia Roof quotes extensively from George Orwell's novel 1984, a dystopian story about authoritarianism.

Roof writes the federal government does not have the power to, quote, disassemble historical truths.

At the exhibit Monday afternoon, visitor Yolanda Parks said she's happy about the decision.

The National Park Service did not return a request for comment.

The federal government could appeal the decision.

For NPR News, I'm Susan Phillips in Philadelphia.