September 22, 2024, through September 28, 2024, is recognized as Banned Books Week in the United States of America. Last year marked a precedent in which more than 4,000 book titles were either challenged or banned in various parts of the country. The majority of these titles were either written by or about people of color or the LGBTQ+ community.
In celebration of art, I have highlighted 10 books that were either challenged or banned. Some of these books are non-fiction while others are fiction. It is important to continue to uplift the voices of those that some would love to have silenced. Read on!
The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Charlie is a wallflower. Follow him as he evolves from being an adolescent to an adult.
Roots by Alex Haley
Kunta Kinte is sold into slavery and brought to the United States. He survives the brutality that comes with life as an African in this foreign land and, by doing so, lays the foundation for his family’s legacy.
Black Reconstruction in America by W.E.B. DuBois
A classic that analyzes the role newly freed Black Americans played in what could have been a new United States of America.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Pecola Breedlove is a Black girl in the United States who loves the standard of beauty, which is blond hair and blue eyes. She prays to have blue eyes as well, which leads to a nightmare.
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde
A collection of essays in which Audre Lorde addresses racism, sexism, ageism, and more!
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
Five teenagers with different, yet interwoven stories. This is a Coming of Age story that takes readers through the ups and downs of life.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
It begins with Lauren Olamina who is trying to survive the chaos of the 2020s. She lives in a gated community but is still exposed to the consequences of climate change and economic crisis. What ultimately emerges from her and the family’s will to survive is a new faith and the potential for a better way of life.
Flamer by Mike Curato
Aiden Navarro is not gay. He just can’t stop thinking about a boy named Elias. Herein is a Coming of Age story heavily reliant on self-discovery and acceptance.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
Greg and Earl enjoy playing video games together. In particular, Greg works hard to maintain social invisibility (outside of his time spent with Earl, of course). So why would Greg’s mom strongly encourage him to befriend Rachel? Does she know Rachel has leukemia and is dying of the disease?
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country by Amanda Gorman
Amanda Gorman read The Hill We Climb on January 20, 2021. She was the sixth poet and youngest in United States history to deliver her work at a presidential inauguration.