Free people should read freely.

History of Book Banning in the United States

In America, a country that claims intellectual freedom as part of its founding and success, book banning has a history that stretches all the way back to the time of the Puritans. 

The first book documented as being banned in America is New English Canaan, published in 1637. The book was critical of Puritan culture, and specifically criticizes the settlers’ treatment of Native Americans. Not only was New English Canaan banned, but the author, Thomas Morton, was arrested and exiled. This event shows the roots of early censorship and colonization in the United States, and how intellectual freedom has always been controversial. It also often has ties to religious extremism and silencing voices that call for social justice.

Some books go through periods of censorship before being restored to public acceptance. Many titles that are considered classics today were once banned, especially when they were first published. Some of these titles include Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple or Animal Farm by George Orwell. All of these books tackled subjects considered by some to be controversial in their time period such as race, abuse, or political power. However, these titles seem tame when compared to today’s standard Netflix lineup, which proves how banning is only a function of the current trends in censorship - completely dependent upon which voices those in power wish to silence. 

Frequently Banned Book Themes

The American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom condemns censorship and works to defend each person's right to read under the First Amendment and to ensure free access to information. The OIF keeps data on book challenges in the United States, and provides resources to report censorship or book challenges/bans.

The ALA report on the most commonly banned books over the last decade reveals trends that target marginalized groups - as authors, characters, writing themes, and more. Common themes that show up in banned books include racism, LGBTQ+ themes or characters, colonization, religious freedom, incest, abuse, and political resistance. Anything that could be considered a threat to those in power is in danger of being banned.

The ALA notes that as recently as “... 2023, books representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts”. This disturbing pattern is the opposite of inclusivity, and works against diverse representation in literature.

Check out the American Library Association’s List of most commonly banned books (2010-2019) at the following link - Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books: 2010-2019 | Banned Books (ala.org)  Which of these titles have you read?