This year, Banned Books Week is being observed from September 27 through October 3. The awareness campaign happens every year and is designed to bring attention to banned and challenged books and to encourage everyone to celebrate our freedom to read. The campaign is singular to the United States, and "stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them."
The idea of banning books is terrifying to some people, but to others, it's entirely enthralling.
Banned Books Week began in 1982, and is the brainchild of librarian Judith Krug. Judith was contacted by the Association of American Publishers, who asked her to come up with a way to call attention to the inordinate number of books that were banned by schools and libraries that year. Judith came up with the idea of the week-long observation, and celebrations began only six weeks later.
During Banned Books Week, Americans are challenged to question their own knee-jerk reactions to books they might have deemed offensive or otherwise unsavory. The week also promotes intellectual freedom in libraries, schools, and bookstores.
The goal of Banned Books Week is "to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society."
The First Amendment of the US Constitution insists upon the right to practice religion, to assemble and protest, and, most importantly for Banned Books Week, the right to practice freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Banned Books Week is all about combating censorship in literature. Many of the books that have been banned throughout the years are controversial because of their subject matter; often, the books are banned because of pressure put on schools and libraries by parents and community members who are proponents of censorship.
The list of the top 10 most frequently banned books is mighty indeed. It includes such stellar works of art as George by Alex Gino, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. The American Library Association shares a list of the top 10 banned books each year, alongside an explanation for why the book is deemed controversial.
For example, George has been frequently banned owing to "challenged, banned, restricted, and hidden to avoid controversy; for LGBTQIA+ content and a transgender character; because schools and libraries should not 'put books in a child's hand that require discussion'; for sexual references; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint and 'traditional family structure.'"
While it's understandable that some books might contain content that makes some families nervous, it's really important to remember that one of the reasons books exist in the first place is to educate, to offer new viewpoints, and to remind us all that freedom of speech is something worth fighting for.
While Banned Books Week is celebrated in the United States, the international organization Amnesty International does make note of the week as well by recognizing people around the world who have been "persecuted because of the writings that they produce, circulate or read."
Banned Books Week is also a time to celebrate the fact that even though books are challenged all the time, the vast majority still remain readily available on the shelves at schools, libraries, and in bookstores around the country — even in the very communities that seek to ban them.
The American Library Association also spends a considerable amount of time educating the American public about the pitfalls of censorship during Banned Books Week. It has noted that more often than not, average citizens are the driving force behind banning books, websites, or even ideas.
"Public schools and public libraries, as public institutions, have been the setting for legal battles about student access to books, removal or retention of 'offensive' material, regulation of patron behavior, and limitations on public access to the internet. Restrictions and censorship of materials in public institutions are most commonly prompted by public complaints.
"Government officials, in the form of the library board or school administration, are ever mindful of the importance their neighbors may place on religious values, moral sensibilities, and protecting children from offensive materials. So, directly or indirectly, ordinary citizens are the driving force behind the challenges to the internet, information, and ideas."
The First Amendment is wildly important for every person who lives in this country, and it should definitely be protected. While it's impossible to like everything that every single person in the United States says, it's still valuable to be reminded that our right to say, think, and publish what we want is an important one.
If you're still hoping to join in on a Banned Books Week event this year, The Office of Intellectual Freedom will host a "Scary Stories" watch party. You can join other people all over the world for a screening of the full-length documentary about banned books. The documentary includes a segment about the 1981 anthology Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, hence the name!
