Black Boy
by Richard Wright
Censorship Status
Banned in Various US schools
Reason: Racial themes, criticism of Southern racism, harsh language
An autobiography about growing up Black in the Jim Crow South.
Why Black Boy Was Banned
Censorship Concerns
This book was banned for challenging established norms and authority.
Specifically, Black Boy was targeted for: Racial themes, criticism of Southern racism, harsh language. The book's themes and content were deemed threatening to the social, political, or religious order in Various US schools.
Why Read Black Boy Today?
- ✓ Historical Significance: Understand why this book was considered dangerous enough to ban.
- ✓ Intellectual Freedom: Support the right to read diverse perspectives and challenging ideas.
- ✓ Critical Thinking: Engage with ideas that authorities didn't want people to consider.
- ✓ Cultural Understanding: Gain insight into the fears and concerns of different societies and eras.
Other Banned Books You Might Like
All Boys Aren't Blue
by George M. Johnson
This powerful memoir about growing up Black and queer in America has been targeted by Republican lawmakers in at least 14 states. Johnson's honest discussion of sexuality, identity, and intersectionality has made it a lightning rod in current culture wars. The book's frank exploration of what it means to be both Black and queer challenges readers to understand multiple forms of marginalization simultaneously.
Gender Queer
by Maia Kobabe
The #1 most banned book in America 2022-2024. This graphic memoir explores gender identity and what it means to be non-binary and asexual. Kobabe's honest depiction of gender dysphoria, sexual awakening, and the search for identity has made it the center of Republican-led censorship battles nationwide. The book's visual format and frank discussions of anatomy have particularly triggered conservative opposition.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
This Pulitzer Prize winner has been removed from required reading lists by progressive school districts in California, Minnesota, and Mississippi. Left-leaning educators argue that despite its anti-racist message, the book centers white characters in Black stories and its frequent use of the N-word can be harmful to Black students. Unlike Republican bans, these removals come from a desire to de-center whiteness in discussions of racism.
Don't Let This Story Be Silenced
Support intellectual freedom by reading the books that challenged the powerful. Get your copy of Black Boy today and discover why it's still being banned.
Get Black Boy Now