Nearly all of the books that the Naval Academy had removed for addressing DEI content returned to its library

The Naval Academy returned nearly all the books removed from its library because they contained content related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Almost two months after the Department of Defense ordered a library search to remove progressive ideology, the shelves were once again stocked.

In early April, the Pentagon directed all military commanders to remove and review all books addressing diversity or gender issues from their respective libraries. 

The memo, sent on May 9, urged agencies to remove all books that "promote divisive concepts and gender ideology," claiming they are incompatible with the Department of Defense's core mission.

In the case of the Naval Academy, 381 books were removed for review and subsequent approval. "The purge led to the removal of books on the Holocaust, histories of feminism, civil rights and racism, and Maya Angelou's famous autobiography, 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,'" the AP noted. Once this review was done, the agencies were to provide the Pentagon with their updated book lists.

"A few dozen books have also been removed from Air Force libraries - including the one at the Air Academy - for review, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the process is still ongoing," they added.

Now that the review has been completed, "almost all" the withdrawn books are back in the Naval Academy library.

The initial directive was part of an effort by the Trump administration to de-ideologize military libraries, their websites and social media accounts.