There has been an onslaught of book bannings in recent years in K-12 schools, universities, and public libraries. Unfortunately, the prohibition of certain paperbacks does not seem to be stopping anytime soon.
In the 2021-2022 school year, local and state-level efforts banned more books in U.S. school districts than in any previous year. Almost 140 school districts in 32 states banned more than 2,500 books. Recent research also shows that these restrictions disproportionately target women writers of color.
Book ban and censorship supporters say the measures are meant to limit inappropriate information from entering schools and educational institutions. However, the real reason might lie in the fact that women writers of color tend to create stories with diverse characters and experiences. These authors tend to delve into complex topics, such as microaggressions, prejudices, biases, and bullying.
Here’s a look at seven books by Black women authors that have landed on several book banning lists.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The 1969 autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” chronicles author Maya Angelou’s life from ages three to 16. Angelou shares a story of overcoming trauma and racism through her love of literature and personal fortitude. Since 1983, the book has faced 39 challenges or bans due to its sexually explicit content.
The Color Purple
Before it was a box office hit or a Broadway success, Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple,” stirred the pot. Set in the early 1900s rural Georgia, main character, Celie, endures rape and abuse by both her father and husband. She is separated from her children and sister, and ultimately finds love with another woman. The book was banned for violence, explicit language and depictions of homosexuality.
The Bluest Eye
Published in 1970, “The Bluest Eye” was Toni Morrison’s first novel. Despite consistently landing on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books, Morrison never strayed away from hard-to-tell stories. This book tells the story of a Black girl who questions her beauty while living in an abusive home. The book has been cited for sexually explicit material, graphic descriptions, disturbing language, and even an underlying socialist-communist agenda.
Hood Feminism
Readers have called Mikki Kendall’s “Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot” a call to action in a not-so-inclusive feminist movement. A critique of the feminist movement, the book addresses the painstakingly obvious divides between white women and BIPOC women. Kendall’s novel has been challenged and banned in Texas and Florida. Florida school district pulled the book for “nudity,” even though the book doesn’t contain images or illustrations.
Their Eyes Were Watching God
A classic of the Harlem Renaissance, “Their Eyes Were Watching God” tells a coming-of-age story about lead character Janie Crawford, a young, Black woman growing up in Eatonville, Florida. Author Zora Neale Hurston centers the 1937 novel around Black love in the rural South. The novel was banned after a Virginia parent complained about its obscenity and sexual content.
The Hate U Give
“The Hate U Give” centers on Starr Carter, a Black teenager who oscillates between her low income, Black neighborhood and her wealthy, mostly white prep school. Everything changes when she witnesses the fatal police shooting of a childhood friend. Before the book was adapted to film, it was cited in Kathy, Texas for inappropriate language, offensive language and its depiction of drug use. Despite the pushback, the book sat atop the New York Times bestseller list for 50 weeks.
Monday’s Not Coming
Written by Tiffany D. Jackson, “Monday’s Not Coming” is about the mysterious disappearance of Monday Charles. By depicting the truth behind her disappearance, Jackson compels readers to advocate for disenfranchised people and those forgotten by the system. The 2018 novel has been challenged in Virginia and Texas. It was removed from some school libraries in Utah due to content pertaining to sexual abuse and violence.