Hayden was appointed in 2016 by President Barack Obama and her renewable 10-year term was set to expire next year. She was the first librarian by profession to be appointed to the job in decades as opposed to historians and scholars who have led the august institution, the Washington Post reports.
Hayden was also the first woman and the first African American to be Librarian of Congress.
The outlet set out just how the dismissal was carried out:
“Carla,” read the email from the White House deputy director of presidential personnel, which was seen by The Washington Post. “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.”
A spokesperson at the Library of Congress confirmed Hayden’s dismissal in an email but declined to elaborate further. Hayden and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
House minority leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said in a statement Hayden “is an accomplished, principled and distinguished” head of the library and attacked Trump’s decision.
“Donald Trump’s unjust decision to fire Dr. Hayden in an email sent by a random political hack is a disgrace and the latest in his ongoing effort to ban books, whitewash American history and turn back the clock,” he said.
Other Democrats joined the chorus of protest, as AP reported.
“Enough is enough,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who called Hayden “a “trailblazer, a scholar, and a public servant of the highest order.”
File/Former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama discusses her forthcoming memoir titled, “Becoming”, with Dr. Carla Hayden the 14th Librarian of Congress during the 2018 American Library Association Annual Conference on June 22, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jonathan Bachman/Getty)
Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, alleged Hayden was “callously fired” by Trump and demanded an explanation from the administration as to why she was shown the door.
Hayden previously led Baltimore’s library system, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, and served as president of the American Library Association (ALA) from 2003 to 2004, the Post report notes.
The Library of Congress was founded in 1800 and serves as the research arm of Congress and remains the largest library in the world.
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