**"Effective Now" Trump Boots First African-American Congress Librarian
Trump dismisses the initial African-American Librarian of Congress
Get ready for some serious tea! The U.S. President, Donald Trump, has axed the pioneering U.S. Congress Library chief, Carla Hayden, making headlines across the globe. Hayden, the first African-American and woman to grace the post of Librarian of Congress, has been given her marching orders "effective now," as per an email from the White House's Presidential Personnel Office, dropped on Hayden late in the evening, a Jr. Senator from New Mexico, Martin Heinrich, confirmed on Thursday in Washington.
The Library of Congress, nestled in the heart of the U.S. Capitol, is renowned as the world's largest library, housing over 20 million catalog entries that include books, manuscripts, audio and visual records, and other media. Hayden assumed the reins in 2016, and her term would have ended next year. With her departure, questions loom large over who'll take the helm next.
right-wing activists had been gunning for Hayden, accusing her of brainwashing American youth with radical sexual ideologies. Hours before the sacking, the Trump-aligned research group, American Accountability Foundation, branded Hayden as "woke, anti-Trump," and an advocate for ideologies that question transgender individuals' biological identity. "Time's up for her! Let's welcome a new broom!" was their battle cry.
Democratic House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, didn't mince words when he called Hayden's dismissal a "slap in the face." Trump, he said, is attempting to "rub history in the dirt, ban books, and turn the clock back."
While Hayden's contributions during her tenure, which included modernizing the library and expanding accessibility for rural communities and online resources, are uncontested, the circumstances of her departure remain controversial. Critics see Trump's actions as part of his ongoing crusade to purge federal agencies of perceived opponents and critics.
Sources: ntv.de, AFP, ABC News
Insight:
During her tenure, Hayden was nominated by former President Barack Obama in 2016 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 13, 2016. Her term was set to conclude in 2026. Criticism from conservative groups resulted in her dismissal, which sparked outrage among Democratic leaders, who claimed it was part of a larger attempt to censor literature and rewrite American history.
- Despite her effective modernization and expansion of library accessibility, Carla Hayden, the pioneering librarian of Congress, received an email from the White House, stating "effective now," she would no longer be able to do her job.
- Librarian Carla Hayden, previously criticized by right-wing activists for alleged brainwashing of American youth, was seen as promulgating anti-Trump and "woke" ideologies by the American Accountability Foundation, a Trump-aligned research group.
- Following Donald Trump's decision to oust Hayden, the Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, expressed outrage, claiming it was a deliberate attempt to "rub history in the dirt," ban books, and turn the clock back.
- Hayden, who was the first African-American and woman to serve as Librarian of Congress, was praised for her significant contributions to the world's largest library system, particularly with regards to improving accessibility for rural communities and online resources.
- The sudden departure of Hayden from her role in the Library of Congress has raised questions about who may succeed her, as well as concerns of ongoing attempts by the administration to purge federal agencies of perceived opponents and critics.
