The official first day of autumn doesn’t occur until the end of September. However, for most parents, the season of change begins with the new school year. Shopping for uniforms, pencils, and other school supplies is inherently linked to the season—almost as much as school reading lists. Year after year, school reading lists have ensured that students are nourished by classic literary works from writers of all backgrounds, which they can discuss and learn more about once the school year begins. It’s never been easy to find definitive stories by Black authors, like Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings or Toni Morrison’s Beloved, in school libraries. Despite this, the stories have persevered. But with book bans happening across the country, things are changing.
Book bans have been occurring quietly since the fall of 2021. At the time, the American Library Association reported that the efforts to ban books were reaching unprecedented heights. Further data from PEN America, a non-profit organization focused on protecting free expression through literature, revealed that more than 10,000 book bans have occurred in public schools since the fall of 2021. The books that are being targeted are those by authors of color, works about race, racism, and even those that heavily feature diverse characters, including LGBTQ+ and people of color.
While these bans are affecting school libraries at an alarming rate, many communities have been taking matters into their own hands to turn things around. In Philadelphia, Little Free(dom) Libraries were set up in various locations to provide access to Black stories. Now, parents all over are taking their own steps, fighting book bans, to ensure that classic books by Black authors remain a pillar in their children’s lives.
The Importance of Black Authors
We consume media through various digital outlets, so it can be easy to think that ridding libraries of books poses little issue. However, stories told by Black authors hold a different kind of value during the important developmental stages of a child’s life. “Those stories breathe life into the unimaginable and often help kids see themselves in a positive light,” says Tahiirah Habibi, sommelier, founder of The Hue Society, and mother of an 8-year-old daughter. “Many authors such as Maya Angelou share lived experiences through their stories and characters that give you an important perspective of freedom, hope, and joy.”
Most of us can recall a book or two that had that kind of impact. For LaShawn Wiltz, a digital creator and avid reader, the middle school years and the books discovered during them were crucial. “Before 6th grade, I had no idea that books by Black authors even existed,” she admits. Unsurprisingly, those early experiences helped shape not just her love of reading but also her strong passion for Black stories. “I discovered so many books that year solely because my library had an entire section dedicated to books by Black authors.”
The Impact of Book Bans
According to a PEN America report, more than 4,300 book bans have occurred in over 23 states and 52 public school districts from July 2023 to December 2023. That’s a 33% increase from the start of the bans, with a total of 33 states.
“As a Black parent, the increase of efforts worries me, especially since I live in Georgia,” Wiltz says. In the Southern state, Senate Bill 226 was signed into law in 2022, allowing parents and guardians to file complaints about the contents of textbooks and works in school libraries. “My son is in high school, but what if books like The Hate You Give, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, or The Bluest Eye are banned in his school? I think about the things I learned when I read these books,” she adds. “The insight you get into lives not your own or even seeing your own life experiences reflected back to you on the page makes you a more open and broadminded person, and I want that experience for my child.”
Removing that from children during fundamental years is an injustice, but as Habibi mentions, it also inhibits students of other races. “Kids of all cultures need insight into the Black experience just as much as Black children,” she says. “There is no experience like the Black experience in America, and banning books that explain that feels like a way to evade history.” Macro-influencer Donnya Negera says these books do nothing but shed light, love, and knowledge, furthering a child’s experiences.
“It’s important to remember this is not just Black history, but American history that these efforts are aiming to erase,” she says.
Fighting Back
“Living in Georgia, banned books are everywhere: our libraries, book displays in bookstores, and even book fairs,” Wiltz says. With that in mind, most parents are fighting back on a personal front. “For me, it’s important to give my kids access to classic books and to see their parents reading them, so I keep many of them on bookshelves at home. I love knowing that at any time, my son can grab one and read it,” she says. In public settings and schools, kids may be afraid to ask for certain books, but having these works in-house gives kids a safe place to enjoy reading.
“Another way around the bans is having guest readers at the schools. At a school my daughter attended, parents could volunteer to read to students and bring in their own books. It was a great way to share culturally relevant books,” says Habibi. She, like many other parents, is continuously finding creative ways to keep these stories going. “As parents, we find other ways to implement lessons and are doing the same regarding the book bans. Not every school has access to resources to do volunteer readings, so it’s important to be intentional about finding spaces that will help kids develop,” she adds.
Concerns over more or stricter book bans are at an all-time high. “For a while, this issue was just a small conversation between Black mothers, but more people are becoming aware of its impact,” Negera says. On the heels of November’s election, there’s hope for change moving forward, but parents can still take action now. “Educating yourself on what your school board is doing is important, so show up to meetings and watch the news, and don’t be afraid to introduce your kids to the books being banned,” Wiltz says.
Despite the murkiness that surrounds this issue, one thing is clear. The efforts are an attack on the culture. “We have to reject that ideology and forever honor our heroes,” Habibi urges. “I’m optimistic about the future because our kids are smart, they overcome barriers in their own way, and they aren’t afraid, and most importantly, their voice can’t be stripped from them.”