Challenging Book Bans

In 2024, there were increased attacks on teaching history, including anti-CRT laws and book bans.

To counter these attacks, we secured donations from authors and publishers to increase classroom access to the books listed below on people’s history.

10,100 copies: Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad

1,200 copies: young readers’ edition of The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks 

2,600 copies: young readers’ edition of The Sum of Us: How Racism Hurts Everyone 

250 copies each: picture books When Wilma Rudolph Played Basketball, When Aidan Became a Brother, and Fry Bread

100 copies: Teach Truth: The Struggle for Antiracist Education

75 copies: Lies My Teacher Told Me: A Graphic Adaptation 

35 copies: Freedom Was in Sight: A Graphic History of Reconstruction in the Washington, D.C., Region

30 copies: Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance

25 copies: I Found Myself in Palestine

25 copies: We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance

10 copies: The United States Governed by Six Hundred Thousand Despots: A True Story of Slavery

and more.

Our staff did the outreach and screening to ensure that the invitation to request books reached teachers and school librarians throughout the country. In most cases, we offered a choice of a single title for background reading, five copies for a literature circle, or 24 copies for a class set. We also collect and post stories from the classroom about the use of the books, such as these examples from The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks.  

While the books are donated, it takes considerable staff time to promote and process the requests — and to collect teaching stories. Donations from individuals — like YOU — make that possible.