During Banned Books Week this year, longtime supporter of libraries Cards Against Humanity offered presales of its new, special edition product, Cards Against Humanity Explains the Joke, and 100% of the net proceeds from the preorder will be donated to the American Library Association.
It’s Banned Books Week, an annual observation started more than 40 years ago in response to a sudden surge in the number of book challenges in libraries, schools, and bookstores. Sound familiar? Sadly, book censorship has remained an unfortunate spectre since Banned Books Week’s founding in 1982, which makes this observance as vital and important as ever.
Oh my! Actor, author, and activist George Takei has been named honorary chair of Banned Books Week, which will take place October 5–11, 2025.
Barack Obama posted a special message on Instagram September 24 to commemorate Banned Books Week.
To kick off Banned Books Week, ALA released preliminary data documenting attempts to censor books and materials in libraries during the first eight months of 2024.
It’s Banned Books Week, when libraries, schools, bookstores, groups, and individuals around the world—including Banned Books Week Honorary Chair filmmaker Ava DuVernay—call attention to censorship and ways to fight it. Here’s how you can get involved.
Libraries and schools across the country are experiencing unprecedented levels of attempts to ban or remove books from their shelves. This Banned Books Week, we’re raising awareness by highlighting attempts to censor library materials, as well as efforts by librarians, parents, students, and concerned citizens to push back against them. This report includes news from Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, and Oklahoma.
Teen Vogue recently spoke with young authors, readers, teachers, and activists about the banned books that have made an impact on their lives and why it’s important to fight against censorship, especially now. Their testimonies and book choices are inspiring and personal.
Actor, activist, and 2023 Banned Books Week Honorary Chair LeVar Burton was a guest on MSNBC’s The 11th Hour on Monday to discuss the book bans and challenges that we’re currently facing in the United States. Burton said that the unprecedented increase in bans and challenges is “alarming,” but it has an upside: It’s forcing us to have a conversation about who we want to be as a nation.
It’s Banned Books Week, when libraries, schools, bookstores, and groups and individuals around the world—including Banned Books Week Honorary Chair LeVar Burton—call attention to censorship and ways to fight it.
The American Library Association (ALA) and Unite Against Book Bans will have a slate of programs, a call to action on Let Freedom Read Day, videos from the Banned Books From the Big Chair read out, and more throughout the week.
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