Banned Books Week promotes freedom of expression and highlights censorship

Banned Books Week, an initiative launched in 1982 by the American Library Association in collaboration with Amnesty International, serves to highlight censorship in schools, public libraries, and bookstores. The annual event, held in late September and early October, features activities such as lectures, readings, and exhibitions to promote the right to read and freedom of expression.

Censorship often targets books with religious, political, or social themes, including content related to violence, sexuality, or controversial social issues. This phenomenon occurs globally, including in the United States and Europe. Beyond preventing publication or entry into a country, censorship can involve prior restraint, confiscation, or destruction of materials.

In the United States, library staff have highlighted specific challenged works to mark the occasion. Examples include 'Two Boys Kissing' by David Levithan, which faced challenges due to its LGBTQIA+ content, and Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel 'Maus', which was banned by a Tennessee school district in 2023 over depictions of a nude female corpse.