In A DEI About-Face, The U.S. Naval Academy Has Reshelved Most Of The 400 Books Removed

Forbes

a day ago

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: U.S. Navy sailors from the USS Carl Vinson march across the iconic ... More 6th Street Viaduct for a Memorial Day salute on May 27, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. The U.S. celebrates Memorial Day each year to honor those who have died while serving in the Armed Forces. (Photo by)
You can't judge a book by its cover.
And that seems to be what just happened at the U.S. Naval Academy.
In a move emblematic of the ongoing White House mandates relating to the cultural and political battles over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) mandated in the executive orders, the U.S. Naval Academy removed 381 books from its library in April 2025.
One month later, all but a handful of those books have been returned to the shelves, after a Pentagon-ordered review that went beyond a cursory look at the covers and titles. With many of these titles now having been reinstated, critical questions about the role of DEI as it relates to history, storytelling and accessibility—and the way institutions are engaging in the troubling trend of erasing narratives that challenge the status quo, only to later reverse these decisions.
The Naval Academy's book purge is part of a broader effort by the Department of Defense to comply with directives aimed at removing materials deemed incompatible with its 'core mission.' These directives, issued under the current presidential administration, targeted books and educational materials addressing topics such as affirmative action, anti-racism, critical race theory, and gender identity. The rationale? To eliminate 'divisive concepts' from military education.
In December 2024, a federal judge ruled that the U.S. Naval academy could continue affirmative Action within their admissions, and consider race in its process. The ACLU applauded. In that case, Judge Bennett found that because of military cohesion and other national security factors, the school should not be subjected to the same standards as civilian universities across the country. In other words, the academy's ongoing and stated commitment to ensuring a diverse officer corps capable of leading a rapidly changing and diverse military force was protected.
This ruling was overturned in February by the academy's superintendent:
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND - JUNE 29: Incoming plebes (freshmen) take part in their Oath of Office Ceremony ... More during Induction Day at the U.S. Naval Academy on June 29, 2023 in Annapolis, Maryland. Approximately 1,200 midshipmen with the Naval Academy's Class of 2027 took part in Induction Day which is their first official day of Plebe Summer and their transition from civilians into fourth-class midshipmen. (Photo by)
'Under revised internal guidance issued by the Superintendent on February 14, 2025, neither race, ethnicity, nor sex can be considered as a factor for admission at any point during the admissions process, including qualification and acceptance.'
This effort is not isolated.
Across the country, DEI programs and initiatives have become problematic, coming under fire. Critics argue that they promote division rather than unity and cause unfair treatment for majority populations. Proponents, however, contend that DEI is essential to level the playing field and to create a trusted environment for fostering understanding, equity and representation in a nation as diverse as the United States.
The back-and-forth at the Naval Academy reflects this broader tension, highlighting the challenges of navigating DEI in an increasingly polarized environment.
The initial purge included a wide range of titles, from Maya Angelou's seminal autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, to Memorializing the Holocaust, which discusses Holocaust memorials. Titles such as Half American, which explores the contributions of Black Americans during World War II, and A Respectable Woman, detailing the public roles of African American women in 19th-century New York, were also removed.
These books are much more than educational materials—they provide windows into the lived experiences of marginalized people and communities and give perspective to the systemic inequities they have faced.
The removal of these books suggested that the stories of Black Americans, women, and other historically marginalized groups are expendable, that their contributions to history can be sidelined in the name of avoiding 'divisive concepts.' With the erasure particularly troubling in the context of the military, an institution that has been a microcosm of American society and a testing ground for social progress.
UNITED STATES - JULY 23: A Tuskegee Airman attends the ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda on ... More Wednesday, July 23, 2008, marking the 60th anniversary of President Truman's Executive Order No. 9981, which integrated the U.S. Armed Forces. (Photo By Bill Clark/)
The military has long been at the forefront of social change in the United States. From the integration of the armed forces in 1948, prior to the Civil Rights acts, to the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in 2011, the military has often led the way in breaking down barriers and fostering inclusion. And although these milestones weren't achieved without struggle, they confronted and addressed uncomfortable truths about inequality and discrimination.
Which is one of many reasons it was so important for those removed books to be placed, once again, on the shelves.