By Lauren Burke

President Donald Trump abruptly fired the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, on May 8. Hayden made history in 2016 as the first woman and first African American to run the Library of Congress. Her firing arrived in the form of an abrupt email in the evening hours. There are fears that President Trump may also target a second prominent Black federal official, Smithsonian Chief Lonnie Bunch, for no other reason than the perceived political bias in a position not known for partisan activity. “Carla, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” the terse communication to Hayden read. The Library of Congress confirmed that Hayden had been informed she was fired by The White House. According to the Associated Press, Hayden “recently faced criticism from a conservative advocacy group aligned with Trump’s political allies. The group, the American Accountability Foundation, accused her and other library officials of promoting children’s books with what it called “radical” themes.”

Since his return to office, Trump’s Administration has been focused on removing anyone who may disagree with their policy agenda. Many of the removals have introduced a sense of partisanship that Washington hasn’t seen in certain sectors, such as the Library of Congress. “This is yet another example in the disturbing pattern of the President removing dedicated public servants without cause—likely to fill the position with one of his ‘friends’ who is not qualified and does not care about protecting America’s legacy,” wrote House Democrat Rosa DeLauro in a statement on Hayden’s firing. “President Trump’s unjustified decision to fire Dr. Carla Hayden as the Librarian of Congress is deeply troubling and just the latest example of Trump’s assault on the legislative branch of government. It’s also the latest demonstration of his blatant disregard for public servants who dedicate their lives to serving the American people,” wrote U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California in a statement late on May 8.

Congressional Black Caucus statement on firing of Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement:

“On both sides of the aisle, Dr. Carla Hayden is widely respected and considered an exceptional leader and steward of one of our nation’s most historic and prized treasures. During her tenure at the Library of Congress, the People’s Library, Dr. Hayden was committed to safeguarding our nation’s history and intellectual legacy.

“President Trump’s callous move to dismiss Dr. Hayden is not to be taken lightly. This decision is the latest move in the Trump Administration’s ongoing war against truth and our democratic values. To make matters worse, the administration will likely attempt to replace Dr. Hayden with an unqualified sycophant who is more committed to Donald Trump than the independence of the institution.

“We cannot allow the Trump Administration to whitewash our history and replace facts with fiction. This decision cannot stand without explanation. We are calling on every Republican to stand up and defend the integrity of the Library of Congress.”