By casting aside trailblazers, those in power send a dangerous message: no Black woman’s achievement is safe

Lisa Cook and Carla Hayden are names that ought to inspire pride. Cook, a world-class economist, became the first Black woman to sit on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Hayden, brilliant and beloved, rose from leading Baltimore’s public library system to becoming the first woman and the first African American to serve as Librarian of Congress. Both women reached the pinnacle of their professions. Both are now out of their jobs.

These were not symbolic appointments or token gestures. Lisa Cook’s research helped shape global economic policy and trained a generation of economists. Carla Hayden transformed Baltimore’s libraries into vibrant community hubs long before she modernized the Library of Congress, digitizing its collections and broadening access for everyday Americans. They ea