Top 10 Banned Books 2020
Challenged, Censored & Banned Media Testimonials
The Hate U Give
"This book is meaningful to me because at the time of its release, there was so much unrest around how many unarmed black men and women were murdered by police officers. My heart was hurting for all of victims especially because they looked liked me and my loved ones. This book is real, it's raw and it's unwavering in the honest portrayal of how life is for Black Americans. There was no sugar coating of how Black victims of police brutality are demonized while the assaulting officer is often given a slap on the wrist in this book. There is collective pain felt for each life that has been taken, and how poorly the justice system has handled their cases. This book was published in 2017, it was extremely difficult to get justice for slain Black people before the then, and now almost 5 years later, the process of receiving justice for Black lives remains to be an arduous battle. Angie did not hold back on addressing issues within the Black community like code switching around other races, poverty, young children being drawn into illegal activity in order to provide for themselves and their family, gun violence, feeling like an outsider in your own community, drug abuse, fighting against stereotypes and prejudice accusations, domestic violence, distrust in police officers, and the list continues. She also shows that life in the Black community isn't all hardships, she shows strong and loving family bonds, having food for comfort when words just aren't enough, a community coming together to protect one of their own, perseverance, duality, strength and love all within this same community, etc,. There was nothing but truth and real life experiences pouring from this book, and that is why it means so much to me. This book is relatable and it's real in a way that make people feel uncomfortable, and that is good. If anyone feels uncomfortable about the real situations, emotions, and thoughts displayed in this book, they need to evaluate themselves and participate in making a change. If there is enough support to rebuild our society to be a place of equality (to me thats what this book is advocating for) then these 'uncomfortable' situations are less likely to be constant occurrences in our lives. I feel passionately about this book, it has so much to offer and teach, and it should not be censored." --Japhia Davone
"This piece is meaningful to me because this book explores racial injustice and police brutality. As a minority student, I have seen first hand the effects of racial injustice and police brutality among the Latinx community. Due to our differences, we have become the target(as well as other minority groups) of racial injustice and biased. Stereotypes that has affected our abilities to obtain the American dream and has tested our capabilities as humans. Although this biases still continue to prevail in America and around the world, literary works such as The Hate U Give is able to shine light to racial stereotypes and brings awareness to this issues." -- Lesly Penate Gomez
"This piece is important to me because it highlights racism and police violence in America." --Jemini McCloskey
"I really like this piece especially following the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. This book gives a good understanding of what black people are feeling when their own people are being killed by our justice system. I connected with this piece because I had a friend who was killed by a white people officer here in the state of Delaware." --Anonymous
The Handmaid's Tale
"I enjoy reading futuristic type books and when I went to the book store (on the Rehoboth boardwalk) 2 years ago and asked for a recommendation this was the book they handed me. This was a novel that I could not put down, I felt the concepts so outrageous but yet not far fetched. I can understand why it was banned/flagged for vulgar language and being sexually explicit. I agree for the most part that this is sexually explicit, however I do not feel as though the book should be banned from high school readers. I would recommend it not be read any lower than 10th grade. Ultimately I do feel as though this was a good read and recommend interested readers to purchase the book then watch the series on Hulu. (A side note: I was floored when I heard they were making a series and binged it right away. The series does stray from the book, but still a good watch) " -- Becca Lenhart
A Thousand Splendid Suns
"This piece is meaningful to me because it shows that society censors things when they get difficult. In this case, child marriage, sexual assault, and violence against women. I agree that these are extremely difficult topics to talk about, and they require maturity to do so; however, it is important to get exposure towards these topics. As a future teacher, I understand that certain books need to be appropriate for our students, but I think creating conversations and creating awareness of topics like this can help expose them so we can work towards a society that can ultimately get rid of them." -- Nina Freda
1984
"I grew a fondness of dystopian fiction in middle school, but it wasn't until my high school years I truly understood the character of it all. 1984 was one of the many that I read independently that juxtaposed everything society stands on, but has a very interesting and honest connection with even modern day behavior and beliefs. My favorite quote is "War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.", because in many ways I feel the government does in fact tell you that they are providing citizens with the luxury of things like peace and freedom, but at the expense of truly manipulating and controlling the narrative they feed them." --DhaZhea Freeman
I Am Malala
"Although this book has not been banned in the US, it remains a very controversial text around the world. Having access to this book in libraries is important to me because it rejects the idea that censorship is protecting people. Often times literature is a leading force in driving sociopolitical change, soI feel lucky that I live in a country where freedom of speech/press is a core national value. Education is a human right and I think everyone could benefit from reading Malala's story." --Kate Reim
The Great Gatsby
"I was actually very intrigued to find out Gatsby was challenged. This book is meaningful to me because it was the first story I read that showed unapologetic love to this degree." --Anonymous
"To be honest I am not much of a reader, but something about The Great Gatsby really got me hooked quickly. It could have been the fact that F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote the entire first chapter drunk which if you pay close attention you can notice the difference in his writing as the book goes on. It also could have been the fact that I love the roaring 20s because it consists of so much culture and music and this entire book takes place in the heart of all of this. The book has been considered banned from a College in SC due to sexual references and language." -- Peter Gosser
"This piece is meaningful to me because it brings back nostalgic feelings of back when I first read it in high school. Initially I found it boring due to the fact that it was an assigned reading, but eventually I began to connect with Gatsby's character and felt very sorry for him. His story is a tragedy that has stuck with me for years. Additionally, I find the overall setting and plotline intriguing to read; the Roaring 20s is a time period that I've always found interesting. Its censorship is unjust and would rob readers of a beautiful story that warns them about how money/fame is not always the key to happiness." -- Anonymous
The Lovely Bones
"It shows the trauma that comes from the silencing of sexual assault. Symbolically shows how someone can feel as if they are a ghost with no voice. " -- Shelby
The Color Purple
"I read The Color Purple at a very young age - there was a copy on the shelf in my house, so I read it - scandalized and enticed by the naughty words and clearly adult subject matter. I was too young to fully grasp the layers of meaning Alice Walker was imparting to her readers, but over the years I have gone back to this story of a girl used and mistreated, deemed too black and too ugly to love, but who yet was loved and learned to love herself completely. It is a difficult story, but one that rings true and (in book, movie, and musical formats) still touches so many." -- Maisha Carey
The Giver
"I read "The Giver" in my 6th grade Honors English class. I can vividly remember the meaningful conversations we had in the class about what was taken away from the people of Jonas' town and what we thought about it. At the time, I was severely bullied for being "different" and "weird." This book reminded me that if everyone were the same, we would be much worse off in society. Our differences make us stronger. Children need this reminder before they grow up with the idea that they must conform to the status quo. I eventually read the entirety of "The Giver" series when I was in high school when I needed that reminder again, and I loved all four books. It is a phenomenal series, and children deserve the chance to read this book." -- Madison Metcalfe
Speak
"Banned and challenged due to "political viewpoints", a bias against males, and mentioning of profanity and rape, I find this story to side with me so deeply. 97% of women experience what the young girl, Melinda, had experienced in this story. Rape is such a frequent thing and the fact that this book has been challenged for a "bias" and mentioning rape honestly shocks me. This is a sensitive subject, of course, but it is a real thing in nature. These things happen everyday and this book not only helps readers become familiar with the frequency, but helps survivors to find their voice and understand its not their fault. I put this as anonymous for the sake that I've been in a similar position as Melinda and it should be spoken more about. There's no such thing as a bias against men. Of course, all genders can be victims, but 97% of the female population speaks volumes. I LOVE this book and the justice it holds for survivors." -- Anonymous
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
"It is meaningful to me because it portrays the aftermath of sexual assault through the depression and struggling mental health of the main character. It is very raw, the characters are far from perfect, and it does not romanticize the teen years like many other cultural productions do. The fact that it was censored tells me that sometimes it is not necessary to spread awareness about these issues in such a graphic way towards the youth, but that appropriate age groups can benefit from witnessing its authenticity. " -- Elizabeth Kirsch
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
"This book is meaningful to me because Maya Angelou helped me get through so many things I have been through just because she told her story. She also helps so many little black girls or people in general get through situations that they do not talk about. She brings about some real life issues that are hard to talk about and brings awareness to what some woman and men go through in their childhood. If you do not understand or respect what she has been through just pass the book along to someone that does, but do not "ban'' it!" -- Ashley Davis
Thirteen Reasons Why
"This book is considered to be too explicit and heavy for young adults, however I think it discusses topics that many people that age struggle with. The events that occur in this book should be more openly discussed." -- Anonymous
Between the World and Me
"“Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a #1 New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the National Book Award. It is an open letter to his adolescent son, explaining to him how he will be treated in this world due to the color of his skin. Coates delves into the woeful experiences that he faced as a little Black boy growing up in the inner cities of Baltimore. His experiences are vastly different than that of a non-black child during that time. He explains how he has no faith in America or in this concept of the “American Dream” that is often idealized and proposed – because Black people are presented with a multitude of difficulties in attaining this dream. Not everyone can attain it even if they are idealistic and have ambition and dedication. It’s not that easy for people with the same skin color as him.
One of my favorite quotes from this book is “In America, it is traditional to destroy the black body – it is heritage. Enslavement was not merely the antiseptic borrowing of labor – it is not so easy to get a human being to commit their body against its own elemental interest. And so, enslavement must be casual wrath and random mangling’s, the gashing of heads and brains blown out over the river as the body seeks to escape.” This quote is very graphic, but it explains how offensive, and repugnant slavery was and still is. This also foreshadows to the surplus of Black men who are enslaved in our prison systems, often times wrongly accused and imprisoned for crimes that non-black individuals would only serve months in jail for. This is a complex quote from a longer passage, but Coates’ vocabulary and way of explaining is pristine and awe-inspiring.
To me, this book deserves to be a classic, similar to “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin, and “The Life of Frederick Douglass” by none other than, Frederick Douglass. Coates wrote this as an intimate, open-letter to his teenage son but this letter would be beneficial for any Black teenager who is coming-of-age to read. As well as non-black children and adults, so that they can understand the adversity that Black people face due to their skin color alone. I was flabbergasted when I saw that it classifies as a “banned book” because an advisor of mine gave me this book during my freshman year in college and it is most definitely required reading. Even Toni Morrison thinks so! I would even like to see this book converted to a version that's easy to read for children similar to "Antiracist Baby" by Ibram X. Kendi that delves into concepts explained in his book, "How to be an Antiracist". It's saddening to see that this book is "banned", but hopefully this stigma against books that discuss racial issues will end. To build a better future and to create change in this world, these are topics that children need to be exposed to, in a positive light." -- Starrlese Scott
Books Unite Us, Censorship Divides Us: Banned Books Week September 26 - October 2, 2021
Join the Conversation on Social Media: #UDReadsBannedBooks Tweet #UDReadsBannedBooks
Join our colleagues in the Department of English on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m., to celebrate Banned Books Week by sharing passages from your favorite banned/challenged books. Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Celebrate your freedom to read! Sign-ups for the event are here!
About Banned Books Week
From the American Library Association (ALA)'s Banned & Challenged Books Website:
Banned Books Week (September 26-October 2, 2021) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. It brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
This year's theme is "Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us." Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Censorship, on the other hand, creates barriers.
The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.
What is the difference between a challenge or banning?
A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection.
Why are books challenged?
Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information.
Censorship can be subtle, almost imperceptible, as well as blatant and overt, but, nonetheless, harmful. As John Stuart Mill wrote in On Liberty: "If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. Were an opinion a personal possession of no value except to the owner; if to be obstructed in the enjoyment of it were simply a private injury, it would make some difference whether the injury was inflicted only on a few persons or on many. But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error."
Often challenges are motivated by a desire to protect children from “inappropriate” sexual content or “offensive” language. The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom:
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the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
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the material contained "offensive language"
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the materials was "unsuited to any age group"
Although this is a commendable motivation, Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA's basic policy concerning access to information) states that, “Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources.” Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment.
As Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., in Texas v. Johnson, said most eloquently: "If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable."
If we are to continue to protect our First Amendment, we would do well to keep in mind these words of Noam Chomsky: "If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."
Or these words of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, in The One Un-American Act: "Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us."