diff --git a/api/app.js b/api/app.js
index dc73ba1..71c0cc2 100644
--- a/api/app.js
+++ b/api/app.js
@@ -19,29 +19,6 @@ app.use(logger("dev"));
 app.use(express.json());
 app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, "public")));
 
-// middleware function to check for valid tokens
-// const tokenChecker = (req, res, next) => {
-
-//   let token;
-//   const authHeader = req.get("Authorization")
-
-//   if(authHeader) {
-//     token = authHeader.slice(7)
-//   }
-
-//   console.log(token);
-//   console.log(process.env.JWT_SECRET);
-//   JWT.verify(token, process.env.JWT_SECRET, (err, payload) => {
-//     if(err) {
-//       console.log(err)
-//       res.status(401).json({message: "auth error"});
-//     } else {
-//       req.user_id = payload.user_id;
-//       next();
-//     }
-//   });
-// };
-
 // route setup
 app.use("/books", booksRouter);
 app.use("/tokens", authenticationRouter);
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/Layout.js b/frontend/src/components/layout/Layout.js
index 6a72fa4..02317f3 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/Layout.js
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/Layout.js
@@ -7,20 +7,25 @@ import React, { useState } from "react";
 import "./layout.css";
 
 const Layout = () => {
+  const [token] = useState(window.localStorage.getItem("token"));
+
 
   const [modal, setModal] = useState(false) 
-  return (
-    <div>
-    <Navbar currentPage="homepage"></Navbar>
-      {modal && (<SessionForm setModal={setModal}> </SessionForm>)}
-      <div className={`${modal ? "blur" : ""}`}>
-      <Header setModal={setModal}></Header>
-      <UpcomingEvents></UpcomingEvents>
-      <PastEvents></PastEvents>
+  if(token) {
+    return (
+      <div>
+      <Navbar currentPage="homepage"></Navbar>
+        {modal && (<SessionForm setModal={setModal}> </SessionForm>)}
+        <div className={`${modal ? "blur" : ""}`}>
+        <Header setModal={setModal}></Header>
+        <UpcomingEvents></UpcomingEvents>
+        <PastEvents></PastEvents>
+        </div>
       </div>
-    </div>
+  
+    );
+  }
 
-  );
 };
 
 export default Layout;
\ No newline at end of file