- Banned Books Week got its start in 1982 in after there was a marked increase in the number of book challenges (About | Banned Books Week).
- The most common challenges for Banned Books last year were "false claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; and covering topics of race, racism, equity, and social justice" (About | Banned Books Week).
- Last year in South Carolina, there were 29 attempts to censor books, and 326 titles were challenged in those attempts. Nationwide, there were 821 challenges, and the most-targeted book was All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson (Censorship by the Numbers | Banned Books).
- The majority of challenges came from "pressure groups and decision makers," with most being tied to school boards (Censorship by the Numbers | Banned Books).
- Most challenges occurred in public libraries (55%), with school libraries coming in at 38%. (Censorship by the Numbers | Banned Books).
- Legendary Actor/Author/Activist George Takei Named Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week 2025 | Banned Books Week - Geroge Takei will be this year's honorary chair. He notes the urgency of observances like this, as books are being challenged by both administrators and politicians. Takei believes that being in a democracy involves being informed and empathizing with others, which books help people in doing. He knows what harm lack of access to books does first-hand, as he was placed in an internment camps as a child and hid his sexuality. Takei wrote a book entitled They Called Us Enemy, which detail's his experience living in the camp.
- Take Action - Unite Against Book Bans – online campaign for anyone who is interested to join.
- About FTRF - Freedom to Read Foundation – website for the Freedom to Read Foundation. Affiliated with the American Library Association. Its mission is to support the First Amendment right that libraries have to distribute information and that patrons have to access it. It explains the First Amendment, which allows expression of ideas without government interference and to access the ideas of others. FTRF helps to establish libraries as places where this right is exercised and respected. The foundation also helps to assist librarians who are in danger of losing their jobs over works that they provided. The foundation was established in 1969 and had 4 purposes in its charter: “promoting and protecting the freedom of speech and of the press; protecting the public's right of access to information and materials stored in the nation's libraries; safeguarding libraries' right to disseminate all materials contained in their collections; and supporting libraries and librarians in their defense of First Amendment rights by supplying them with legal counsel or the means to secure it.” The foundation helps in the legal processes around First Amendment cases, providing grants, and providing education on libraries and the First Amendment.
- Free Expression (ABFFE) | the American Booksellers Association (bookweb.org) – website for the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. As evidenced by the name, this allows booksellers to be advocates when dealing with issues of censorship. It was founded by the American Booksellers Association in 1990. Its mission is as follows: “to promote and protect the free exchange of ideas, particularly those contained in books, by opposing restrictions on the freedom of speech; issuing statements on significant free expression controversies; participating in legal cases involving First Amendment rights; collaborating with other groups with an interest in free speech; and providing education about the importance of free expression to booksellers, other members of the book industry, politicians, the press and the public.”
- Penguin to publish "classic" Roald Dahl books after "censorship" backlash - CBS News – Roald Dahl has been in the news regarding the world of censorship recently. Penguin Random House has decided to publish “classic” editions of his novels without any edits that are being deemed “controversial.” There are versions of Dahl’s stories going on sale that remove passages about weight, gender, etc. Author Salman Rushdie, who has himself been under the scrutiny of censorship tweeted “Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship.” An example of this is the character Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, who is referred to as “enormous” in place of “enormously fat” in the new edition. There was also some backlash from the queen consort Camilla, who encouraged all writers to stay true to their calling. While Dahl has become a fixture in the world of classic children’s literature, he is controversial for his antisemitism.
- Publishers are cynically using ‘sensitivity readers’ to protect their bottom lines | Books | The Guardian – starts with a larger conversation about the edits being made to Dahl’s books. The writer this piece seems to see it as a corrupt move on the part of the publishing and film industries. These moves came just before some of Roald Dahl story company was sold to Netflix and in the wake of Fleming’s franchise losing its fanfare. The writer notes that pieces of Fleming’s work are cut, but other questionable lines and references have been kept in. He also notes that Dahl has not been affected by “cancel culture,” even with his antisemitic views throughout his lifetime. However, other authors have not been published due to allegations brought against them. The writer of this piece wrote on the concept of “sensitivity readers” and how the concept has only taken off since then.
- “My Book Was Banned”: This Oprah’s Book Club Author Tells Us the Full Story (yahoo.com) – interview with Isabel Wilkerson, the author of Caste. She found out that her book had been banned through social media, where she saw a news story about Texas libraries reopening with her book having “mysteriously vanished.” She saw this as mirroring the very things that she discussed in the book. She also notes her research for the book, with certain events mirroring the spirit of book bans, such as the Nazis using Jim Crow laws as inspiration for Nuremberg laws. Just as is commonly seen, the banned book lists commit a contradiction. They bring these books to the forefront. She calls for resistance, such as the type introduced by the first image in Caste, learning history instead of avoiding it, and open discussion.
- How teachers and librarians are subverting book bans in the US (msn.com) – introduces Adam Tritt, a teacher who is part of Foundation 451, a nod to Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. In the novel, book burnings take place. This program helps get banned books to the public. This article notes the recent laws in Florida which do not necessarily remove books from shelves but make way for this with their “broad language.” 175 books have been removed from schools in Florida and there is an overall surge in book bans across the country. However, this has not stopped librarians and teachers from making sure that people have access to books, whether that be through purchasing physical copies to distribute, setting up little free libraries, or making digital access easier, like the Brooklyn Public Library has done with Books UnBanned. There is also a campaign to give books to teachers in states facing these bans. All in all, these bans have real consequences and it is important to fight them.
- Read a Banned Book | South Carolina State Library (sc.gov) – resource from the SC State Library. Most book challenges are targeted at school libraries. Most books targeted are written for children, which brings up the assertion that no one should be deciding what kids should read except their own person. Discussion of Banned Books Week and the different people and groups that often participate in the event. Concludes with a discussion of the importance of libraries and reading banned books.
- Support Flyers - Google Drive – great resource from Freedom to Read SC. Information presented in poster format on books that have been banned in South Carolina. They feature awards, a summary, and different press and reviews around the title.
- Advocates Launch “Freedom to Read SC” Coalition to Fight Book Bans Across South Carolina | ACLU of South Carolina (aclusc.org) – Freedom to Read SC was launched in October of 2022 – still fairly new. The Coalition is made up of different groups, such as religious entities and civil rights organizations, and are working with schools and public libraries. The executive director of South Carolina’s chapter of ACLU spoke out against how unconstitutional these bans are and that personal feelings about the book should not affect access. A mother herself is very passionate about the work that is being done here, saying that she wants her children to learn how to interact with different people through reading.
- Freedom to Read SC Coalition | MyLO (lwv.org) – information on the Coalition from League of Women Voters. Several different resources, such as contact information, press, and advice on how to help.
- Iowa school district banned books based on ChatGPT’s advice (yahoo.com) – applicable with ChatGPT being so prevalent now. This was used to pull 19 books from library shelves. This is all in response to a new law, which is mainly focused on books around gender identity and sexual orientation. There is a push for what is “age appropriate.” The assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction says that going through each book is just not feasible, so they are utilizing this method. However, ChatGPT has come under fire for not being accurate, as The Atlantic mentioned that it does not understand all of what human language is. PEN America’s digital policy lead has spoken out against this, noting that ChatGPT does not understand “context and intent.”
- Are Book Bans the Reason Behind Some Book's Popularity? - Good e-Reader (goodereader.com) – this is a popular conversation and was seen when the book Maus was banned (a surge in sales). The article opens with a discussion about all the backlash that To Kill a Mockingbird has faced, but it is still one of the most assigned books in the classroom and has had impressive sales. Most who have read the book enjoyed it and appreciated the themes. The article goes on to discuss the curiosity of the human mind, which plays into making banned books more enticing to read. People want to see what they think of these bans, both the reason why and whether it makes any sense. While books are typically popular due to subject matter, banning a book can help add to this popularity and point out important themes in the book that may not be noted as prevalently otherwise.
- ‘Knowledge is power’: new app helps US teens read books banned in school | US news | The Guardian – coverage of an amazing resource – The Digital Public Library of America’s Banned Books Program. This provides free online access to banned titles. This helps with hurdles that kids can be faced with, such as no access to public transport to the library. One parent said that these books are also for those who are different from the main character in the book (empathy). There have been other such programs as well and teens are starting to take initiative by starting their own banned book clubs.
- Why Toni Morrison Books Are Frequent Targets of Book Bans | TIME – speaks to the larger issue of books by those authors of African American and Indigenous descent. One African American author who has had several book bans, including Beloved, Song of Solomon, and The Bluest Eye. Her novels deal with topics that are hard to talk about, such as rape or a woman killing her daughter to spare her from slavery. She speaks about these things with no filters, which causes struggles. People also struggle with Morrison and her expression of her identity as a black woman. Morrison herself has spoken out against censorship, contemplating that the very fact of it and the world it could lead to as a “nightmare.”
- 13 Scary Banned Books to Read for Halloween - Intellectual Freedom Blog (ala.org) – Halloween books that have been banned.
- 'Not a badge of honor': how book bans affect Indigenous literature : Code Switch : NPR – how Indigenous groups are unfortunately targeted. This conversation is with native Hawaiian author Hinaleamoana Wong –Malu, writer of Kapemaj in the audio portion. There are then book recommendations that discuss issues such as tribe eligibility and the Indian Relocation Act. The books are recommended by Debbie Reese, who works to combat misrepresentation of Indigenous people.
- Banned Indigenous Authors - Intellectual Freedom Blog (ala.org) – list of banned Indigenous authors and a deeper discussion. The reason for the banning of Indigenous authors is because of the “mature” content, which shows that change still needs to be made instead of feeling guilt about the past. Indigenous children and teens went through and still go through horrible things, but readers should not shy away because it is uncomfortable. There is then a discussion of Sherman Alexie, who has admitted to misconduct but writes an important story. There is then a discussion of laws, such as one in Arizona in 2010 that completely erased any ethnic instruction.
- DoSomething Banned Books List: Native American Heritage – with Native American Heritage Month coming up, it is important to note that many Native American works have been censored. There is also an extreme struggle with getting into the publishing world, with a 2020 statistic revealing that Indigenous authors making up only 0.49% of those registered. There is then a list of reads to check out.
- “Banned Wagon” brings banned books to the metro (yahoo.com) – initiative that is going on in Iowa. There are opportunities for discussion at the mobile and an opportunity to pick up a free banned book. There is also a discussion of the power of books to change lives.
- Banning Books Isn't Just Morally Wrong. It's Also Unhealthy – article written from the angle of someone who used to work as a pediatrician and would prescribe books to kids and families. This individual is now in the field of Narrative Medicine, which has helped her to realize that banning books is detrimental to the health of the general population in many ways. The article then goes on to give the benefits of reading and shows why it is so important to stop the banning of books, as they expose all of us to new leaders, new heroes, etc.
- Banned Books Week: 14 Ways To Help & Advocate – more suggestions. It discusses doing small things, such as sharing a favorite banned book on social media and donating to Little Free Libraries that specifically promote banned books. Then there are bigger suggestions, like attending school district meeting and contacting local readers. There are also places given that are worth considering donating to, such as PEN America.
- 5 Ways To Fight Book Banning At Your Local Library - Bookstr – ideas at the local libraries. Reporting book bans matters, as most book bans (82%-97%) are not reported. It is also suggested to get involved the library, such as through attending meetings.
- Stop Book Bans Toolkit - The Authors Guild – toolkit with templates for writings, such as letters to local leaders.
- What You Should Know About Book Bans: Frequently Asked Questions | Pulitzer Center – this source gives a look into the historical action around book banning, such as it taking off during the Cold War in the 1980s. It also discusses state laws and their impact on censorship, such as laws in Missouri leading books to be targeted, as “sexually explicit materials,” can not be distributed.
- Books - Banned Wagon Tour - Penguin Random House – creative initiative to combat book banning. The website features the books that will be distributed, including some that can be found in our library, and descriptions of the books. There is also information on their partners, such as the Little Free Library. There is then link to Banned Books | Penguin Random House, which offers even more resources on banned books.
- Home | Banned Together - information on the documentary that focuses on students from South Carolina in their fight against censorship. These students fought to have 97 books returned to their school’s library.
- DoSomething Banned Books List: Hispanic Heritage | DoSomething.org - banned books by Hispanic authors. There are classics, like The House of the Spirits, and more current, like I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. These books are valuable, as the main characters are dealing with common problems from new perspectives.
