The Big Picture
Book bans are on the rise in the United States. But why does it matter? At Read Free, we believe that every story matters. Although not all material is appropriate for every age level, the recent bans highlight a more troubling trend. The data shows that these book bans, regardless of educational level, disproportionately affect minority communities: 41% included LGBTQ+ themes or protagonists, 40% included protagonists of color, 21% discussed race and racism, 10% discussed rights and activism, and 4% included religious minorities. There is a widespread effort to systematically silence stories.
Research and Sources
At Read Free, we value the truth. On this page, you can find some of our favorite sources of data and information about book banning here in the United States. This information is at the core of what we do and we care to share it so that you can become an advocate for your community. At this time, Read Free has not been involved in the creation of any of the below resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A record 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship, a 38% increase over the 1,858 unique titles targeted for censorship in 2021.
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In the past, parents were the most likely to request book bans and largely would challenge a single book. Now major challenges that include hundreds of titles come largely from organized censorship groups. These groups often appear at school board meetings in cities, and even states, they don’t live in to advance their goals.
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Books are being challenges across the United States in both school and community libraries. Texas has the most active book bans followed by Florida and Tennessee.
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Read Free only shares information published by legitimate institutions. Much of our data comes from two main sources; the American Library Association and PEN America. Additional sources include: national and local news outlets, state library associations, and press releases. All podcast episodes have individual sources cited in the show notes and episode page.