Librarian of Congress Fired, Removed from Office
According to a report by the Associated Press, President Donald Trump fired Carla Hayden from her post as the Librarian of Congress on Thursday, May 8. Hayden received the news via email. The former Librarian of Congress led with a vision toward inclusion and increasing representation for communities of color at the Library of Congress.
The Associated Press also reported the reactions of those familiar with Hayden’s professional work, noting outrage and calls for justification from Democratic leadership and the last three U.S. Poets Laureate.
Hayden’s firing is the most recent step in a conservative agenda to erase all cultural evidence related to the liberation and acknowledgment of inclusive topics, including women’s history, Black history, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
The American Accountability Foundation, backed by the Heritage Foundation, performed the background research used to oust Hayden from her position on the basis of promoting an anti-woke, pro-Trump platform.
Role of Librarian of Congress
The Librarian of Congress is appointed to a ten year term by the president and oversees the operations of the Library of Congress. The Librarian directs the curation and care of the book collection and assists with congressional research. In addition, the Librarian creates and implements programs dedicated to the social and community enrichment of the Library. He or she also appoints the Poet Laureate of the country. The Library of Congress makes available resources and research that will aid public service professionals and politicians at the Capitol. In more recent years, the Library of Congress has encouraged the participation of civilians or non-federal workers in contributing their works and research to the Library of Congress’ collection.
A Word In Response
The Trump administration’s assault on the identities of historically oppressed peoples represents an attempt to reverse decades of progress toward rectifying the racist and intolerant agendas which dominated, and continue to dominate, the history of the United States of America. The removal of federal level leaders such as Carla Hayden is another confirmation that the MAGA led faction of the Republican Party will prioritize the imposition of their single-minded agenda and narrow world view over the keeping of arenas of discourse, conversation and research.
Yet, the Trump administration’s disregard of public service and power balances does not exist in a vacuum.
The erasure of cultural identity is occurring in the public arena. Vocal opposition to these actions maintains the dualities and diversities of the American experience. Life in the United States of America encompasses the fabric of a memory that exists across the sufferings, struggles and triumphs of many heritages. The United States of America is a melting pot. The margins of identity have widened and given space for people at all levels of this society to bear witness to the evolution of the American story and to invoke the right to participate in the preservation of the American ideals of free speech, independence and self-determination.
