User:Oughtta Be Otters/sandbox/Book censorship in the united states
Book censorship, or the removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational books on the grounds that they are morally or otherwise objectionable, first appeared, in what is now known as the United States, in 1624 in modern-day Quincy, Massachusetts.[1] [2] While specific titles caused bouts of book censorship, with Uncle Tom’s Cabin frequently cited as the first book subject to a national ban, censorship of reading materials and their distribution remained sporadic until the Comstock Laws in 1873.[3] It was in the early 20th century that book censorship became a more common practice and source of public debate.[4] Throughout the 20th and early 21st century there have been waves of attempts at widespread book censorship in the United States. Since 2022, the country has seen a dramatic increase of attempted and successful censorship, with a 63% rise in reported cases between 2022 and 2023, including a substantial rise in challenges filed to hundreds of books at a time.[5][6]
In the debate over book censorship in the United States, “freedom to read” proponents cite traditions and legal precedent building upon the Constitution of the United States, particularly the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments. Much of the justification for censorship centers on definitions of obscenity and questions about the perceived moral qualities of various books’ content.
Today, the target of book censorship may be either a print, electronic, or audiobook, or a curriculum that includes such sources. Targeted texts may be held by a business such as a bookstore; a library, either a public library or one located in a school or university; or the school or university as a whole. The entity requesting censorship may be an organization, private individual, or government official.
Several professional organizations oppose book censorship, especially the American Library Association (ALA) , the Freedom to Read Foundation, PEN Foundation, and the National Coalition Against Censorship. Combating book censorship on the basis of First Amendment rights, due process, and the concept of the freedom to read, these organizations have been at the center of multiple Supreme Court cases spanning from the early 1970s.
Definition and terminology
Book censorship is the removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational material – of images, ideas, and information in book form – on the grounds that these are morally or otherwise objectionable according to the standards applied by the entities initiating censorship.[1] The target of censorship may be either a print, electronic, or audiobook, or a curriculum that includes such sources. Targeted texts may be held by a business such as a bookstore; a library, either a public library or one located in a school or university; or the school or university as a whole. The entity requesting censorship may be an organization, private individual, or government official. Book censorship refers specifically to attempts to remove or curtail access to a work for a whole population – such as all the children at a school or all the patrons of a public library – and does not include an individual’s decision that a book is not appropriate for themselves or their own children.
Book censorship can take a number of forms. Scholar Emily Knox specifies four types of censorship:
- Removal: abolishing certain books from the library, classroom, or bookstore shelves;
- Relocation: such as creating an "adults only" section of a library;
- Restriction: such as requiring parental permission to check books out of the library; and
- Redaction: covering sections of materials so they cannot be seen by readers.
Book censorship has often been initiated by a book “challenge,” or a request to remove a book from a library or other location. Many libraries and other educational institutions have “reconsideration policies” in place that lay out how to file a challenge and what will happen after one has been filed. These policies exist to make the challenge process transparent and consistent and to support due process. Usually an administrator or a committee will consider the challenge and the text, and make a determination. If the challenge is supported by the reconsideration process, the book will be removed from the library collection, school, etc. A “banned book” is one that has been "removed from a library, classroom, etc." Since 2021, the rise in book challenges nationwide has led to increased proactive self-censorship by many institutions, often at the level of school districts. Additionally, as of 2024, there has been an increase in state and local legislation that normalizes removal, but also relocation and restriction, of books in libraries, schools, and other settings.
References
- ^ Reichman, Henry (1993). Censorship and Selection: Issues and Answers for Schools. Revised. Chicago: ALA Books. ISBN 978-0-8389-0798-6.
- ^ Whitacre, Lindsay. "Research Guides: Banned Books: History of Book Banning". guides.library.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
- ^ Blakemore, Erin (2023-04-24). "The history of book bans—and their changing targets—in the U.S." National Geographic. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
- ^ Brady, Amy (2016-09-22). "The History (and Present) of Banning Books in America". Literary Hub. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
- ^ Italie, Hillel. "New censorship report finds that over 4,000 books were targeted in US libraries in 2023". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
- ^ Smith, Tovia (2024-03-14). "American Library Association report says book challenges soared in 2023". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2024-04-24.