Banned Books Week
Literature is a powerful tool for change as it serves to solidify and spread ideas which can disrupt the established status quo. It serves to establish these changes by acting as a stage upon which an author may present and bring forth controversial ideas and commentary to the public eye.
These commentaries can discuss and challenge many different subjects such as racism in, To Kill a Mocking Brid by Harper Lee , environmental degradation such as in, Silent Spring by Rachel Carsen, or working conditions as explained by Upton Sinclair in The Jungle. These are only a few examples and the list goes on.
Due to it's power to bring forth social and political change literature has often become the target for censorship. This censorship is a push back toward the progress and change these books represent and the harm they could bring to those in power.
“‘A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon.'”
-Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
This practice of censorship has become popularized in the past century and happens not only in the United States but worldwide. For these reasons it is essential that we learn and talk about these works, why they were banned, and the change they represent. Now is the perfect time to learn more about this movement and process as it is currently Banned Books Week!
This year the Banned Books Coalition, lead by the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, has compiled a list of the top ten most censored books of 2020!
- George by Alex Gino. Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community.”
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds. Banned and challenged because of the author’s public statements and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people.
- All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism and because it was thought to promote antipolice views, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now.”
- Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint, it was claimed to be biased against male students, and it included rape and profanity.
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of the author.
- Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story about Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin. Challenged for “divisive language” and because it was thought to promote antipolice views.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience.
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Banned and challenged for racial slurs and racist stereotypes and their negative effect on students.
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Challenged for profanity, and because it was thought to promote an antipolice message.
- https://bannedbooksweek.org/
