“We Need To Tell The Story”: Literary Advocates Nationwide Reflect On Five Years of Relentless Attacks on the Freedom to Read

In early 2021, one year into a radically different way of living in America thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, book bans began popping up with a regularity not seen in quite a long time. It started in the spring, continued to expand through the summer, and became a full-blown movement by the fall. Concerned individuals—a mix of those who were parents and those who were not–flooded school board meetings with a litany of now-familiar complaints over the “inappropriate” content in books for children and teenagers. Many earned a moment or two of viral fame in conservative media and on social media, encouraging others to speak up in their schools about the importance of “parental rights” regarding books. Literary Activism News you can use plus tips and tools for the fight against censorship and other bookish activism! Book bans were but the next step in a movement that saw a small subset of parents raising their voices at school board meetings, demanding their rights be honored over mask and vaccination requirements during a global pandemic. Many of these same people complained about the rights of trans youth in public schools, whether that was over their ability to use a bathroom or play...