This month, Dr. Carla Hayden, our outstanding librarian of Congress since 2016, was suddenly terminated without cause. Hayden is an educated and qualified librarian with a year left in her term, and her termination is another example of the Trump administration’s callous disregard for truth and justice.

Hayden has been an exemplary librarian and an impeccable steward of the People’s Library.

She is a trailblazer, the first woman and the first African American to be named librarian of Congress. Unfortunately, those historic distinctions worked against her in in the eyes of this administration, which takes a perverse glee in the arbitrary and vindictive purge of women and minorities from the highest levels of military and government.

Asked why Hayden was fired, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that she had placed “inappropriate books in the library for children,” had done “concerning things … in the pursuit of DEI,” and was not “serving the interests of the American taxpayer.” Leaving aside that children can’t access the library’s holdings, the claim that Hayden was not serving the interests of the American people is absurd.

As only the third professionally trained librarian to hold her post, Hayden is among the most qualified and capable leaders that the world’s largest library could have. She earned plaudits from around the nation as chief librarian of the Chicago Public Library and as executive director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library for more than 20 years. She was confirmed to her position in an overwhelming bipartisan vote, and has excelled in every facet of her role.

Her firing had little to do with the “interests of the American taxpayer.” She is another victim of this administration’s drive to erase Black history, disguised as an attack on the nebulous concept of diversity, equity and inclusion. Like former Joint Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr., Hayden was fired not for a lack of competence but due to cronyism.

History will judge this moment in the Trump presidency — and not kindly.

Rep. Kweisi Mfume is represents Maryland’s 7th District

The Baltimore Banner publishes letters to the editor, exclusive to our publication, of no more than 350 words. Letters can be submitted for consideration to letters@thebaltimorebanner.com.