This week the U.S. Naval Academy has removed over 400 books from its library — including works by iconic Black authors like Maya Angelou — as part of a sweeping review of diversity-related materials.

Apart from Maya Angelou’s famous autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” also on the list were historical books on racism, the Ku Klux Klan and the treatment of women, gender and race in art and literature.

The order to remove DEI related literature came from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office.

These are not just books — they are powerful reflections of the Black American experience, resilience, and contributions to our nation’s history. Erasing them from a military institution’s shelves sends a dangerous message about whose stories are deemed worthy of preservation.

We call on the U.S. Naval Academy to immediately reinstate Black history and literature titles to its library!

Future military leaders deserve — and need — access to a full, inclusive account of American history. Sanitizing the curriculum and removing Black voices silences essential perspectives that have shaped the United States.

Photo: Doug Mills / AP file