The Power of One: The Dangers of Book Banning

Carleigh Olive

PO 102-01: Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies

April 13, 2023

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A wave of book banning has overtaken the nation. Within the last two years, thousands of

books have been banned and censored by schools and districts across the nation. This aggressive

book censorship movement is targeting books that include themes of race, racism, and

LGBTQIA+ experiences. The wave of censorship has denied minority groups positive peace.

The denial of access to these books is structural and cultural violence against people of color,

particularly black individuals, and the LGBTQIA+ community. This censorship violates

students’ rights to freedom of thought, organization, and expression, while simultaneously

promoting violence against marginalized groups. The public is combatting this movement,

organizing and sharing their outrage to take action against censorship. The nation must unite in

the fight against book banning.

Wave of Hate

The book banning movement s directly targeting the most marginalized in America. From

July 2021 to June 2022 2,523 books were banned, with bans occurring in 32 states and 138

districts (Friedman and Johnson 2022). These figures only represent bans reported to Pen

America, so the actual figures are expected to be much higher. Of the 2,523 bans, 40% were

connected to enacted or proposed censorship legislation (Friedman and Johnson 2022). From the

same figure, 41% of the banned books included protagonists or significant secondary characters

of color and 33% addressed LGBTQIA+ issues (Kirch 2022). 22% of these books directly

addressed race and racism, while 16% were autobiographies and history books (Friedman and

Johnson 2022). There is a clear target of these bans–people of color and the LGBTQIA+

community– and an intent to rewrite history through a heteronormative, whitewashed lens.

History, and human life, cannot be taught in an authentic and meaningful way if diversity is not

allowed.
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For years, and especially within the last three years, racial tensions have risen and the

demonization of the LGBTQIA+ community has lingered. As of 2019, nearly half of Americans

believe the nation has not made enough racial equality progress (Pew Research Center 2019).

LGBTQIA+ individuals are nine times more likely to become victims of violent hate crimes than

non-LGBTQIA+ individuals (Dowd 2022). Minority groups have become increasingly more

marginalized, facing more severe threats each year. The current anti-trans legislation that is

sweeping the nation is evidence enough of this disgusting trend. Through book banning,

marginalized communities are positioned as the new “boogeyman,” reflecting the

fear-mongering of the red scare in the 1950s and racially discriminatory book banning of the

1980s.

This wave of book banning picked up national attention in 2021 when national

organizations began aggressively targeting books about race and LGBTQIA+ experiences. These

organizations, such as Moms for Liberty, are creating coalitions dedicated to banning these

books. Unlike in previous U.S. book-banning movements, these organizations are not targeting

specific titles but rather attack a substantial list that includes any book that a particular

organization does not agree with (Italie, 2023). These organizations pressure local governments

and schools to ban and censor books about race and LGBTQIA+ experiences and are succeeding

at alarming rates. Those who support these organizations claim they are banning books out of

parental rights and fear for their children’s safety. Following their line of thinking, books

discussing gender identity and the real experiences of Black people in America require the

utmost attention, as these books are the most threatening to children's safety in schools.

It is essential to note the political leaning of those supporting this movement. Professor of

English and History at Ohio University, Harvey Graff, mentions the main perpetrators of this
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wave are “supercharged by right-wing politicians, radical evangelicals, and supporting activists”

(2022). Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, has also

noticed that the vast majority of complaints come from conservatives directing their energy

toward books about race and LGBTQIA+ issues. However, some complaints stem from liberals

targeting books that include racist language, such as Of Mice of Men (Italie 2023).

Book banning, at its core, violates human rights declarations. The United Nations

Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that every human being has the fundamental

right to an education that “promote[s] understanding, tolerance and friendship” and the freedom

of thought, opinion, and expression (“Universal Declaration of Human Rights”). The intentional

banning of books about race and LGBTQIA+ themes violates this right by denying students their

freedom of choice and expression, which leads to promoting an education that inherently does

not promote tolerance or friendship. This action will directly lead to an increase in violent hate

crimes. The violence caused by the denial of these socioeconomic rights is an act of abuse by the

government (Barash and Webel 2017b, 489). This movement also violates U.S. Supreme Court

law, as the 1982 Board of Education v. Pico decision declared, "Local school boards may not

remove books from school libraries simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those

books” (Blakemore 2022). Banning books is a blatant violation of human rights and a denial of

positive peace (Barash and Webel 2017b, 505).

Banning books about race, racism, and the LGBTQIA+ experience is a form of cultural

and structural violence. Structural violence is the denial of essential rights by undermining the

well-being and development of individuals based on social reasons (Barash and Webel 2017a, 8).

Book banning is an act of structural violence as it institutionally denies marginalized

communities access to representation, autonomy, freedom of expression and opinion. It is a

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denial of basic privileges and opportunities; it is, first and foremost, a form of oppression

(Barash and Webel 2017a, 8). This wave of book banning also constitutes cultural violence since

it is a symbolic use of culture to legitimize the further marginalization of LGBTQIA+ individuals

and people of color (Barash and Webel 2017a, 9). Vilifying books featuring these communities is

seen as a way to legitimize “frameworks for structural and direct violence” by supporters of the

movement (Barash and Webel 2017a, 9).

All hope is not lost. Coalitions are organizing to battle the censorship wave. People of all

ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, and other demographics are speaking out and taking

action. Educators and librarians alike are joining forces to spread awareness on the issue through

education. Schools and libraries are encouraging students and local communities to read banned

books, especially during banned book week. Bookstores are beginning to add banned book

displays. Many have expressed their shared outrage online through informational social media

posts. Students, parents, educators, and community members are testifying against book banning

at local government meetings nationwide. There is something almost poetic about the

education-focused counteractions to this censorship movement geared towards restricting

educational materials.

The counter-reactionary movement must continue to educate others on this topic to gain

support. The shared outrage the movement has fostered has allowed for a substantial

countermovement to develop to prevent further censorship and violence. As Roy J. Eidelson

notes, outrage “pushes for sustained engagement,” demanding “explainations for what is wrong,

and… accountability for the wrongdoing” (2011, 5). The countermovement must organize in

similar fashions as the censorship movement has. While national organizations do exist, such as

ALA, these organizations typically address a range of topics, with book banning being one of
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them. This is not necessarily a drawback, however, when fighting against multiple national

organizations solely dedicated to banning books, it is significantly harder to counteract without

the same intensity.

Activism

For my week of activism, I focused on educating about the book-banning movement. I

wanted to focus my activism on education since it is one of the best ways to counteract

ignorance. There is also a symbolic meaning behind choosing education as a way to combat a

movement based on anti-education. The first act of activism I did was creating a “crash course”

of the issue (see Fig. 1). This entailed conducting research on the origins, important

organizations, and consequences of the movement, as well as the historical background of book

banning in the U.S., then compiled this information in a reader-friendly narrative that breaks

down the banning wave. This “crash course” was put on my education portfolio website, so

future professors and employers can be educated on this topic. It also serves as a way to continue

this activism beyond this class.

The next act of activism was giving presentations on the issue. I created a presentation

covering the basics of this movement and the issues surrounding it. I hosted a presentation night

(see Fig. 2), inviting my friends as an audience. They had plenty of questions for me after the

presentation, such as “At what [government] level does book banning occur,” and “Can this

wave affect public and private colleges.” I was overjoyed that they were engaged and curious

about this topic–exactly as I had hoped. I also gave the same presentation to one of my history

classes. I opened the floor to questions and comments and was thrilled when my classmates

remarked on their own experience reading banned books in high school and connected this

movement to the current discriminatory bills being passed in the Indiana State Legislature.
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A small group of people heard my presentation, but if I wanted to reach my goal of

educating as many as possible, I needed to broaden my audience. The infographic I created was

posted on one of my resident assistant’s (RA) bulletin boards (see Fig. 4) and the bulletin board

of a RA in Irvington (see Fig. 3). I also left two copies of the infographic in the Diversity Center

(DC), in hopes to spark a conversation. I specifically choose the DC since it is a central hangout

space for students of color and other minority groups. I also know many in the DC are politically

active online and on campus, so I hope they engaged in discussion and learned more about the

movement.

Still, the infographic only reached a limited audience. I wanted to reach an audience

beyond Butler, and the internet satisfied this objective. Hundreds of people follow me on

Instagram, most of whom do not attend Butler. I posted a post by the ALA on my Instagram

story that detailed statistics about the book-banning movement, including how many books have

been banned. I have a picture for proof; however, as ALA has not responded to my request to use

their post in this essay, I will not include the picture without their consent. I also wanted to reach

an audience that has a more direct influence on book banning. I contacted my local

representative (see Fig. 6) and local board of education (see Fig. 5), highlighting the severity of

the censorship wave.

Reflecting on My Activism

Through my activism, I learned significantly more about this topic. I already was

knowledgeable on this topic, but I am now aware of human rights and supreme court violations,

organizations involved on both sides of this movement, and the severity of this issue. I had never

done activism to this degree before, so the experience was entirely new. Before this experience, I

was unaware of the sheer amount of time it takes to plan, create, and then commit these acts of
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activism. Lack of time was the largest barrier for me. A core principle of creating long-lasting

change is access to free public spaces where activists can organize, for change cannot happen

without these spaces (Nepstad 2011, 128). I was shocked at the accessibility to these spaces,

though this can largely be attributed to being on a college campus, as they are unique free spaces

within society that encourage activism.

I accomplished my goal of educating as many as possible on this topic because I reached

broad audiences and focused on multiple media forms to display information. By educating

others on this topic, I fostered a unity based on the shared outrage of censorship and

discrimination. This unifying moral outrage is particularly important for social movements, as it

goes beyond acknowledging the reality of the situation, creating collective action in direct

response to the wrongdoings (Eidelson 2011, 5). I think part of the reason my activism was

successful is that I put all my energy into targeting this one issue from the framework of

educating. I addressed the social, educational, and legal consequences of book banning while

tying it back to this specific wave of banning. I also explained the connection to structural and

cultural violence in my presentations directly and indirectly in the “crash course.” In every form

of my activism, I emphasized statistics of the banning, as quantitative data can be very

persuasive when used correctly, especially when contacting government representatives. My big

takeaway from this project is to appreciate all the time and effort activists put into their

movements. I also learned the importance of having multiple ways for people to engage with

activism. I noticed that as I included more ways of engaging, more people wanted to get

involved, and more people could become involved.

Conclusion
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In the two weeks of activism, I have educated myself, Butler students, Instagram

followers, and local government officials on this current wave of book banning. The intentional

banning of books that mention race, racism, and LGBTQIA+ experiences has already done

irreparable harm to these communities. This has caused these communities, which are already

more susceptible to violent hate crimes, to become more marginalized. These bannings also

violate socioeconomic human rights and the 1982 supreme court decision. The censorship wave

intentionally targets libraries and educators, creating a hostile environment for students,

librarians, and educators. The outcome of this movement has not been predetermined though.

Many are speaking out, myself included, on the dangers and discriminatory nature of book

banning. Organizations, teachers, librarians, students, and other activists are uniting to counteract

book banning. The issue will not dissipate on its own; we must unite through our differences to

end these bans of hate.

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Appendix

Figure 1.

Olive, Carleigh. Picture of the “crash course” on my education website. March 26, 2023.
Picture. Fairview House, Butler University.

Figure 2.

Olive, Carleigh. Presentation Night. March 28, 2023. Picture. Fairview House, Butler University.

Figure 3.
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Olive, Carleigh. Infographic hung in Irvington. March 31, 2023. Picture. Irvington House, Butler
University.

Figure 4.

Olive, Carleigh. Bulletin Board with the Book Banning infographic pinned. March 31, 2023.
Picture. Fairview House, Butler University.

Figure 5.
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Olive, Carleigh. Email sent to my local Board of Education. April 10, 2023. Picture. Fairview
House, Butler University.

Figure 6.

Olive, Carleigh. Letter Written to Maryland Congressman. April 10, 2023. Picture. Fairview
House, Butler University.
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