Banning of Books

WHEREAS, When a book is "banned," it is removed from school curriculums, classrooms, and/or libraries because a person or group has objected to its content; and 

WHEREAS, Book banning and censorship have been around as long as there have been books. Overwhelmingly, book banning continues to target stories by and about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals; and 

WHEREAS, The American Library Association ("ALA") reported that more books were banned in U.S. schools and libraries in 2023 than in any other year for which records have been kept; and 

WHEREAS, ALA documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship in 2023, which was more than the previous two years combined: 2,571 in 2022 and 1,651 in 2021. And the increase in 2023 represents a 65% spike from the previous year. The book ban movement has grown in recent years across the U.S., as religious-political activism gains strength; and 

WHEREAS, Texas is the state that has banned the most books. In total, Texas has banned more than 800 books in 22 school districts. Florida is the state with the second greatest number of banned books during the 2021-22 school year, with five hundred sixty-six books banned in twentyone of the state's school districts. Florida Governor Ronald Desantis, is one of the main people leading the charge to use book banning as a tool against what he calls critical race theory. Seventeen states (Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin) saw attempts to ban more than 100 books; and 

WHEREAS, Material stripped from libraries and curriculum include works written by Black authors that discuss police brutality, the history of slavery in the U.S. and other issues pertaining to race and the Black experience. Black students are among those who may be most affected by bans across the country. Prior to the rise in book bans, white male youth were already more likely to see themselves depicted in children's books than their peers, despite research demonstrating how more culturally inclusive material can uplift all children, according to a study in the Quarterly Journal of Economics. 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ("NAACP") believes that people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals deserve to see themselves reflected in books. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP stands against book banning and supports books that reflect one's personal life stories, and histories of others in and beyond their communities. 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP may file lawsuits, administrative complaints, and amicus briefs, and otherwise support efforts to prevent or reverse bans of books reflecting the Black and/or LGBTQ+ experience.