Trump’s Anti-DEI policies strike again. According to The Guardian, the Mississippi Library Commission has permanently deleted its Race Relations and Gender Studies databases from the Magnolia system, a resource hub used by public schools, universities, libraries, and agencies across the state.

The quiet purge wasn’t a glitch, it was intentional and politically charged, with chilling implications for how public knowledge is shaped under the Trump administration’s new policies.

The commission’s executive director, Hulen Bivins, confirmed the decision and warned of more intellectual erasure to come.

“We may lose a lot of materials,” Bivins told The Guardian. “We have had a reconsideration of everything with regard to what Doge [is doing].”

The saying “knowledge is at our fingertips,” may not be so true.

What Is ‘Doge’? And Why It’s Reshaping American Libraries

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge, is a newly minted federal entity that’s already gaining notoriety for gutting essential institutions. It was created under Donald Trump’s second term and has wasted no time leaving destruction in its wake, which many have criticized.

In March, Doge placed nearly all employees of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on administrative leave, effectively shutting down the agency.

IMLS was a major lifeline for libraries across all 50 states, funding everything from archival access to literacy programs. But Trump’s executive order made it clear:

IMLS must be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law” within seven days.

Now the agency is dark. No funding updates. No points of contact. Just silence.

Mississippi Joins Anti-DEI Crackdown

Back home, the Magnolia State legislature has been on its own mission, aligning with national anti-DEI efforts. Lawmakers ended the most recent session without passing a state budget, yet somehow managed to greenlight multiple bills banning DEI teachings and policies in Mississippi’s public education systems.

A March 31 internal memo obtained by Mississippi Today revealed that the Mississippi Library Commission deleted the databases to comply with the state’s laws—though no specific law was cited.

Bivins acknowledged the climate plainly:

“The deletion of these two databases shall be permanent until such time as when the Legislature changes their position regarding the content of materials made available in Mississippi libraries.”

Until when? Are they deleted or just archived?

Funding Drought Threatens to Close Libraries Entirely

With IMLS funding halted and state support uncertain, Mississippi’s libraries are bracing for more losses.

“We’re in danger of losing basic things, like interlibrary loan,” Bivins said. “We’ve had to stop our statewide e-book network because we don’t have enough money to pay for the e-books between now and the 30th of June.”

It’s not just a Mississippi problem. California, Connecticut, and Washington—all of which are suing the Trump administration over these rollbacks—have had millions in federal grant funding revoked. Previously reported by BOSSIP, Trump’s administration has already targeted other major museums and cemeteries that hold databases.

“Every state is going to have to make their own decisions,” Bivins explained. “But what will happen is we’re not going to have the resources to help the people that are in the educational process or people’s business needs. If the library doesn’t have support, the library will have to close.”

How sad and dystopian it is to watch public resources face this kind of fate. Ever read Fahrenheit 451? In the words of Oscar Wilde: Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.

“It’s a Tragic Story”, The Cost of Defunding Public Knowledge

While much of the country is still distracted by political theater, what’s happening in libraries should sound the alarm. Erasing databases on race and gender isn’t about saving money—it’s about reframing public access to truth. He’s even erasing info from weather institutions as well.

Bivins summed it up with somber clarity:

“Everybody is doing cuts and re-evaluations and looking at everything. It’s a tragic story.”

If race and gender studies are too “controversial” for public databases, what’s next?

The deletion of truth is rarely about what’s written.

It’s about who controls the narrative.

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