Banned Book Week September 22-28, 2024

Banned Books Week is an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read whatever we want without being hindered. By showcasing the usefulness of open access to information along with critical awareness of current book ban attempts, Banned Book Week continues to inspire. Gathering readers, authors, librarians, teachers, publishers, and anyone who is willing, Banned Book Week attempts to boost recognition and support for the harms of censorship. The books highlighted during the week have all at one time been under the scope of a ban.

For the year 2023, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) recorded a 65% increase in book challenges from the previous year. This is the highest level ever documented. A total of 4,240 unique titles were targeted, with public libraries experiencing a 92% surge in challenges, now representing 46% of all incidents. This surge was largely driven by specific groups requesting the censorship of multiple titles at once, particularly those representing LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC voices.

History of Book Banning in the U.S.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe is considered by many to be the first work in America to have major banning attempts. The bans primarily originated in Southern states because of the novel's pro-abolitionist stance and its ability to change people’s minds on slavery. Later books like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain began to be banned in schools due to the use of racial slurs and how race was portrayed. In response to bannings like this and to protect libraries, the American Library Association (ALA) was formed in 1876. The ALA has always advocated for intellectual freedom which opposes book banning.

Later books like The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, and The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer saw many banning attempts. This was because of America’s strong fear of communism deeming them “unAmerican” during the 1940s and ’50s. In the 1960s, books like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Color Purple by Alice Walker began being banned because of the attention they brought to race relations in America, fueling the Civil Rights movement. All of these books are critical to American history, and many are taught in schools today. The ALA began Banned Books Week in 1982 from these bannings and more.

Book bannings continue daily with frequent targets that mainly feature LGBTQIA+ and anti-racism topics. Books such as Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates are targeted because of race; while other books, like Lets Talk About It Erika Moen, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, and And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, are targeted because of LGBTQIA+ topics.

Banned Book Lists from your local libraries

Defenders of Freedom to Read

These resources provide valuable insights into the reasons behind book banning and the ongoing efforts to advocate for the freedom to read.

American Library Association – Provides comprehensive information on banned and challenged books, including lists and historical context.
Banned Books Week Coalition – An annual event celebrating the freedom to read and highlighting the issue of book banning.
Freedom to Read Foundation – A nonprofit organization promoting and protecting the freedom to read.
National Coalition Against Censorship - Offers resources and information on censorship issues and challenges to literary works.
United Against Book Bans - A national initiative to galvanize people to fight censorship.

References

Banned & Challenged books. American Library Association. (n.d.). https://www.ala.org/bbooks

Bannings and burnings in history. Freedom to Read. (2024, July 4). https://www.freedomtoread.ca/resources/bannings-and-burnings-in-history/

Book ban data. American Library Association. (n.d.-b). https://www.ala.org/bbooks/book-ban-data#:~:text=The%20American%20Library%20Association’s%20Office,level%20ever%20documented%20by%20ALA.

Contributed by Dan Oleson-Wheeler