“DEI is Dead”: Dept. of Ed. Faces Backlash Over Social Media Post

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An NAACP flyer campaigning for the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in 1922, but was filibustered to defeat in the Senate. Dyer, the NAACP, and freedom fighters around the country, like Flossie Baily, struggled for years to get the Dyer and other anti-lynching bills passed, to no avail. Today there is still no U.S. law specifically against lynching. In 2005, eighty of the 100 U.S. Senators voted for a resolution to apologize to victims' families and the country for their failure to outlaw lynching. Courtesy of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

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Claude, age 23, just months before his 1930 murder. Courtesy of Faith Deeter.

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Souvenir Portrait of the Lynching of Abram Smith and Thomas Shipp, August 7, 1930, by studio photographer Lawrence Beitler. Courtesy of the Indiana Hisorical Society.

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April 15, 2026

Nehemiah Frank, The Black Wall Street Times

A social media post from the U.S. Department of Education declaring “DEI is DEAD” is drawing national scrutiny. Education leaders warn the tone reflects a broader shift in how federal agencies communicate policy and priorities.

The U.S. Department of Education, led by Linda E. McMahon under Donald Trump, is facing backlash. A social media post declaring “DEI is DEAD!” and featuring a gravestone labeled “DEI” is drawing scrutiny.

The agency linked the post to a press release outlining efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in higher education. The tone marked a sharp break from the traditionally neutral language used by federal agencies.

Unlike standard government communications, the post uses language and imagery aligned with the administration’s combative political messaging style.

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