Hundreds of ‘DEI’ books are back at the Naval Academy. An alum and a bookshop fought their removal.

By

Nadra Nittle , Mariel Padilla

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When the U.S. Naval Academy stripped 381 books tied to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from its library, retired Commander William Marks saw more than censorship — he saw a threat to the Navy’s future. But last week, after immense public outcry, most of those books returned to Nimitz Library shelves.

“Do you believe it?” asked Marks, a 1996 alum who spearheaded a campaign to maintain student access to the books. “What great news. We’re thrilled.”

All the books the academy removed in early April had one thing in common: Officials flagged them for DEI themes. They include Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” and Elizabeth Reis’ “Bodies in Dou