2016 has been a phenomenal year of achievement for Black women and Dr. Carla D. Hayden is the latest to leave her mark.
The former CEO of Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library was officially confirmed as the next Librarian of Congress following a 74-18 Senate vote on Wednesday. Dr. Hayden was first nominated by President Obama earlier this year, according to NPR. She is the both the first woman and the first African-American to hold the position. She will also be the first appointed to the office under President Obama’s new law that has established a 10-year term for the Librarians of Congress. The position was previously a lifetime appointment before President Obama signed the law into effect in 2015.
In addition to her leadership role in the Baltimore public library system, Dr. Hayden has also served as president of the American Library Association and made history in 1995 as the first African-American to be named Librarian of the Year by Library Journal.
President Obama spoke highly of the Tallahassee, Florida native in his nomination announcement back in February, noting her many accomplishments in her field. “Dr. Hayden has devoted her career to modernizing libraries so that everyone can participate in today’s digital culture,” he wrote. “She has the proven experience, dedication, and deep knowledge of our nation’s libraries to serve our country well and that’s why I look forward to working with her in the months ahead.”
Dr. Hayden is the 14th person to hold the Librarian of Congress position.
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