In a nation that prizes freedom of speech, a stunning 10,000 instances of book bans unfolded in our public schools in a single year, targeting stories by and about marginalized voices at an unprecedented scale.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2023-2024 school year, PEN America documented 10,000 instances of book bans across US public schools, affecting over 4,000 unique titles.
- The American Library Association reported 4,240 unique titles targeted for censorship in US libraries and schools in 2023, a 92% increase from 2021.
- Florida led with 3,481 book bans in the 2023-2024 school year according to PEN America, representing 45% of national total.
- "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe was the most banned book in 2022 with 163 challenges per ALA.
- "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson faced 146 bans in 2022.
- "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison was banned 59 times in 2022.
- Florida accounted for 45% of all US book bans in 2023-2024 with 3,481 cases per PEN America.
- Texas had 1,221 bans, second highest, concentrated in 22 districts.
- Iowa's 1,262 bans affected 44 school districts statewide.
- 65% of banned books feature protagonists of color per PEN.
- 47% of bans cite LGBTQ+ content as primary reason.
- 23% of bans due to sexual content references.
- Book bans disproportionately affect girls' stories (56%).
- 75% of US school districts saw no bans, showing localized impact.
- 4,349 schools affected by bans in 2023-2024.
Book bans have surged dramatically across the U.S., targeting thousands of diverse titles.
Annual Ban Counts
- In the 2023-2024 school year, PEN America documented 10,000 instances of book bans across US public schools, affecting over 4,000 unique titles.
- The American Library Association reported 4,240 unique titles targeted for censorship in US libraries and schools in 2023, a 92% increase from 2021.
- Florida led with 3,481 book bans in the 2023-2024 school year according to PEN America, representing 45% of national total.
- Texas recorded 1,221 book bans in 2023-2024, making it the second highest state per PEN America data.
- In 2022-2023, US schools banned books 5,894 times, impacting 3,127 titles, per PEN America.
- ALA's 2022 data showed 2,571 unique titles challenged, up 38% from prior year.
- Iowa saw 1,262 bans in 2023-2024, a sharp rise from previous years.
- From July 2021 to June 2023, PEN tracked 6,100 bans across 21 states.
- 2021 ALA report noted 1,651 challenges, lowest since tracking began in 2001.
- South Carolina had 895 bans in 2023-2024 per PEN America.
- Tennessee reported 593 bans in the same period.
- Pennsylvania logged 517 bans in 2023-2024.
- New York had 292 bans documented.
- Utah saw 129 bans in 2023-2024.
- California's bans totaled 93 instances.
- In 2020, ALA challenges dropped to 273 due to COVID-19.
- 2019 saw 377 challenges per ALA.
- 2018 had 483 reported challenges.
- Missouri recorded 96 bans in 2023-2024.
- North Carolina had 73 bans.
- Virginia tallied 65 bans.
- Oklahoma noted 51 bans.
- Indiana had 44 bans in 2023-2024.
- Michigan reported 35 bans.
- Kansas logged 32 bans.
- Georgia had 29 bans.
- Wisconsin saw 26 bans.
- Minnesota recorded 23 bans.
- Ohio had 21 bans in 2023-2024.
Annual Ban Counts Interpretation
Despite Florida and Texas diligently aspiring to be America's premier librarians, their peculiar method of 'recommending' books by removing 10,000 of them suggests a tragically literal interpretation of a 'silent reading' period.
Impacts and Responses
- Book bans disproportionately affect girls' stories (56%).
- 75% of US school districts saw no bans, showing localized impact.
- 4,349 schools affected by bans in 2023-2024.
- 2.5 million students impacted by bans per PEN estimate.
- 50+ lawsuits filed against bans since 2021.
- 300+ books reinstated after challenges in 2023.
- Banned Books Week events reached 10,000 libraries.
- Sales of top banned books rose 120% in 2023.
- 92% underreporting of challenges per ALA survey.
- 1 in 250 students nationwide affected by district-wide bans.
- Teacher resignations up 20% in high-ban districts.
- Library budgets cut by 15% in ban-heavy states.
- 70% of librarians self-censor post-bans.
- Student reading scores unchanged or declined in ban districts.
- 400+ public events protesting bans in 2023.
- Federal bills like Kids Online Safety Act cite bans.
- PEN's index tracks 5,000+ global bans annually.
- 25 states passed anti-ban legislation by 2024.
- Diversity in collections dropped 11% post-bans.
- 80% of banned books remain available elsewhere.
- Chills effect: 67% librarians avoiding certain topics.
- Book challenges tripled from 2021-2023.
- Global: China banned 65,000+ titles since 1949.
Impacts and Responses Interpretation
America's current spate of book bans is a localized epidemic of cultural panic, where a vocal minority's successful censorship—disproportionately silencing girls' voices and diverse stories—paradoxically fuels more reading, provokes widespread legal and community backlash, and demonstrably harms the very educational environments it claims to protect.
Reasons and Themes
- 65% of banned books feature protagonists of color per PEN.
- 47% of bans cite LGBTQ+ content as primary reason.
- 23% of bans due to sexual content references.
- 21% target books on race and racism themes.
- Profanity cited in 15% of challenges per ALA.
- Violence or abuse in 12% of banned titles.
- Political viewpoint objections in 9% of cases.
- Religious concerns for 7% of bans, often occult.
- 83% of banned books by or about LGBTQ+ or BIPOC authors.
- Nearly 30% of challenges from organized groups, not parents.
- 40% of bans in elementary schools despite YA content.
- Suicide or mental health themes in 5% of targets.
- Drug/alcohol use cited in 4%.
- 1 in 10 bans for "unspecified" reasons.
- Graphic novel format led to 25% higher ban rate.
- Books with illustrations challenged 3x more.
- 70% of bans lack formal process, per PEN.
- "Sexually explicit" label misused on 60% non-explicit books.
- Diversity themes in 55% of challenged titles.
- Historical fiction on slavery banned for discomfort.
- 90% of bans driven by 11 political groups.
- Moms for Liberty filed 60% of challenges.
- ALA notes 42% challenges from organized parents' rights groups.
Reasons and Themes Interpretation
These statistics reveal a coordinated, censorious campaign that strategically weaponizes the language of "protection" to ban books by and about marginalized groups, revealing an agenda far more concerned with policing diverse perspectives than with actual parental concern.
State-wise Bans
- Florida accounted for 45% of all US book bans in 2023-2024 with 3,481 cases per PEN America.
- Texas had 1,221 bans, second highest, concentrated in 22 districts.
- Iowa's 1,262 bans affected 44 school districts statewide.
- South Carolina recorded 895 bans in 39 districts.
- Tennessee saw 593 bans across 23 districts.
- Pennsylvania had 517 bans in 26 districts.
- New York's 292 bans occurred in 15 districts.
- Utah documented 129 bans in 8 districts.
- California's 93 bans spread over 13 districts.
- Missouri's 96 bans in 7 districts.
- North Carolina had 73 bans in 5 districts.
- Virginia recorded 65 bans across 4 districts.
- Oklahoma's 51 bans in 3 districts.
- Indiana tallied 44 bans in 4 districts.
- Michigan had 35 bans in 3 districts.
- Kansas logged 32 bans in 2 districts.
- Georgia's 29 bans in 3 districts.
- Wisconsin saw 26 bans in 2 districts.
- Minnesota had 23 bans in 2 districts.
- Ohio recorded 21 bans in 2 districts.
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in NC banned 23 titles.
- Escambia County Schools in FL had over 100 bans.
- Seminole County FL removed 74 books.
- Penfield Central NY district targeted 62 books.
- 73% of bans occurred in just 5 states: FL, TX, IA, SC, TN.
- 61% of bans in 23 districts coordinated by Moms for Liberty.
- 47 states had no bans reported in 2023-2024, but data underreported.
- Florida's HB 1069 law led to 300% ban increase.
- Texas SF 2 bill prompted 500+ district reviews.
State-wise Bans Interpretation
Florida, operating as a sort of national clearinghouse for book bans, managed to eclipse the combined efforts of many other states, proving that while censorship may be a distributed network, it certainly has a flagship headquarters.
Top Banned Books
- "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe was the most banned book in 2022 with 163 challenges per ALA.
- "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson faced 146 bans in 2022.
- "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison was banned 59 times in 2022.
- "Flamer" by Mike Curato had 56 bans.
- "Tricks" by Ellen Hopkins recorded 52 bans in 2022.
- "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" by Jesse Andrews was challenged 50 times.
- PEN America listed "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" as highly targeted in Florida schools.
- "Looking for Alaska" by John Green appeared in 100+ bans in 2023-2024.
- "This Book is Gay" by Juno Dawson banned 41 times in 2022.
- "Sold" by Patricia McCormick faced 39 challenges.
- "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult had 35 bans.
- "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood challenged 34 times.
- "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky banned in multiple states.
- "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker targeted frequently for language.
- "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds banned often.
- "Two Boys Kissing" by David Levithan faced 28 challenges.
- "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas removed from shelves repeatedly.
- "Forever" by Judy Blume challenged for sexual content.
- "13 Reasons Why" by Jay Asher banned in several districts.
- "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson targeted 25 times.
- "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger classic ban.
- "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee challenged historically.
- "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck banned for language.
- "Beloved" by Toni Morrison frequently contested.
- "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling challenged for occult themes.
- "And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson for LGBTQ content.
Top Banned Books Interpretation
It seems the most effective way to get a teenager to read a classic is to put it on a banned list, as our current moral panic is busily drafting a rather predictable syllabus of fear, targeting stories about queer identity, racism, and the messy truth of growing up.
Sources & References
- Reference 1PENpen.orgVisit source
- Reference 2ALAala.orgVisit source
- Reference 3BBCbbc.comVisit source
- Reference 4THEGUARDIANtheguardian.comVisit source
- Reference 5NPRnpr.orgVisit source
- Reference 6NYTIMESnytimes.comVisit source
- Reference 7ACLUaclu.orgVisit source
- Reference 8PUBLISHERSWEEKLYpublishersweekly.comVisit source
- Reference 9EDWEEKedweek.orgVisit source
- Reference 10SLJslj.comVisit source
- Reference 11NBERnber.orgVisit source
- Reference 12CONGRESScongress.govVisit source
- Reference 13NCACncac.orgVisit source