Toni Morrison's books have been challenged on a consistent basis. Hear what she has to say about censorship. According to an Associated Press article by Hillel Italie, Morrison, 78, has long experience with censorship. Her novels "Beloved," "Song of Solomon" and "The Bluest Eye" have frequently been threatened with removal from library shelves — and sometimes pulled — because of sexual, racial or violent content.Burn This Book is a collection of essays on censorship, edited by Toni Morrison and published in May 2009. Read a review at "Travels of a Bookworm" and check out the links, including one to an excerpt of Burn This Book.
Updated: Kathryn, one of our readers suggests that we sign the petition at The Right to Read. Thanks, Kathryn.
Join us in reading banned and challenged books. The Banned Book Challenge continues until June 30. Set your own goal.
5 comments:
It would also be great if your readers could sign The Right to Read petition, over at http://therighttoread.com/
Join the fight against literary censorship!
Hi, this is Hannah from the National Coalition Against Censorship. We hosted this event with Toni Morrison, so it's great to read here about how important it is to read banned books!
We hope you can help us publicize a disturbing call for book challenges in public libraries. In yesterday’s morning news segment “Unfit to Print?” [http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/22577720/unfit-to-print.htm#q="gossip+girls"], Fox News interviewed two parents calling for removal of Gossip Girl and other young adult fiction from the youth section of the Leesburg, Florida public library. While the public library has voted to keep the contested books on the shelves, parents argue that the books should be pulled from the 12+ young adult section. In the video, parent Dianne Venetta states, “This is not about censorship” but calls upon “parents to go and see what’s in the youth section of your public library.”
We've written a letter supporting the Leesburg library in its effort to retain the books where they are in the youth section, noting that the Constitution “prohibits the public library from censoring material because some people find it offensive or distasteful. The public library’s role is to serve the entire community, not to reflect or cater to any specific viewpoint.” [http://ncac.org/Kids-Right-to-Read-Project-Opposes-Book-Challenges-in-Leesburg-FL-Public-Library]
We hope you can use this Freedom to Read blog (great idea, by the way!) to make a statement upholding young adults’ right to read (even young adult fiction!).
The Leesburg Public Library staff members have proposed a compromise. It has been approved by the Library Advisory Board and will be presented to the Leesburg City Commissioners at the meeting on Monday, September 28th.
I hope you keep us posted as events unfold. Thank you for that information.
The axe has fallen, so to speak. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-racy-book-controversy-092809,0,3897922.story
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