April 13, 2025

Welcome to our weekly Sunday newsletter. This week we will highlight black education on the line as the Naval Academy pulls Maya Angelou from their library and HBCUs try to move forward after funding is pulled from state legislatures and the executive branch.

Maya Angelou Book Among Nearly 400 Books Removed from Naval Academy Library in DEI Crackdown

By Shaun White

Nearly 400 books—including works on the Holocaust, civil rights, racism, and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings—were removed this week from the U.S. Naval Academy’s library. The action followed a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office to eliminate materials promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The Navy confirmed that 381 titles were taken out of the Nimitz Library using keyword searches and a formal review process to comply with executive orders issued by President Trump.

The book removals are part of a wider Trump administration initiative targeting DEI-related content across federal institutions. Titles pulled include Memorializing the Holocaust, Half American (about Black soldiers in WWII), and Pursuing Trayvon Martin, among others focused on race, gender, and identity. While the Naval Academy had initially been exempt from the K-12-focused executive order, Pentagon leaders recently intervened following media reports highlighting the academy’s DEI content.

Officials stated the book removals were not linked to Hegseth’s scheduled visit to the academy this week, though the timing drew public scrutiny. The Naval Academy joins West Point and the Air Force Academy in reviewing course materials to comply with federal directives. Hegseth’s broader push to dismantle DEI efforts across the Department of Defense has sparked backlash from lawmakers and citizens, particularly over the erasure of historic figures and content from military websites.

campus chronicles // hbcu edition

Langston University–Tulsa, Oklahoma’s only HBCU, is at risk of closing if it is not allowed to offer four-year degree programs. House Bill 2854, which has passed the House and is awaiting a Senate vote, would lift long-standing restrictions that protected Langston from program duplication by other Tulsa-area universities. Alumni and lawmakers warn the bill could siphon funds, duplicate courses, and threaten the future of the underfunded campus, undoing decades of hard-won progress.

HBCUs are leading the growth of women’s flag football, backed by support from the NFL and NAIA, with Alabama State becoming the first Division I school to launch a program and award a scholarship to rising star Ki’Lolo Westerlund. Westerlund, who appeared in an NFL Super Bowl commercial, hopes to represent the U.S. in the 2028 Olympics, symbolizing the sport’s expanding visibility and impact. Meanwhile, HBCUs that include Winston-Salem State and Virginia Union are building competitive programs and hosting inaugural tournaments, marking a new era for women’s flag football at the collegiate level.

The Trump administration’s recent cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs have resulted in the loss of a $16.3 million NIH grant for FAMU’s College of Pharmacy, which had supported cancer research, AI studies, and key staffing. The grant was part of the long-standing RCMI Program, which since 1985 had significantly boosted research capacity at the HBCU. The funding loss has created an urgent need for donations, with FAMU leadership calling on supporters to give during its annual “1887 Strikes” campaign while the university appeals the decision.

black history in quotes 

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The 2025 Penn Relays will honor a new class of legends with the induction of four individuals and two relay teams into its prestigious Wall of Fame, including the historic 1950 Morgan State 4×440 yard relay team. This record-breaking HBCU squad—Samuel LaBeach, Robert Tyler, William Brown, and George Rhoden—won the Championship of America in 3:13.6, shattering a decade-old record and claiming Morgan’s first Penn Relays victory after a controversial disqualification the year before. Their victory launched a relay dynasty that earned Morgan national attention and solidified its legacy as a sprinting powerhouse.

The Bears continued their dominance with more titles and strong showings at major events like the Melrose Games and the Los Angeles Coliseum Relays, where they clocked a near-world record time of 3:09.4. Their achievements earned them features in Sports Illustrated, Time, Ebony, and other major publications, elevating Morgan State’s reputation both nationally and internationally. The 2025 induction ceremony will take place on April 26th at Franklin Field, marking another chapter in the rich history of the Penn Relays, which has honored 130 individuals and 117 relay teams since the Wall of Fame’s creation in 1994.

Our editor, Lisa D. Tinsley, would like to thank you for spending part of your day with KISA News Radio.

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