Censorship By the Numbers
Other Lists of Challenged and Banned Books/Media
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Banned Books ProjectInaugurated in 2019, The Banned Books Project is a public scholarship project by students at Carnegie Mellon University.
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Books That Shaped America, 1750 - 2000The Books That Shaped America exhibition marks a starting point to spark a national conversation on books and their importance in Americans’ lives.
More About Banned Books
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ALA's Book Ban DataThe most current data from the American Library Association regarding book challenges and bans.
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Amnesty International's Banned Book ActionKnown as the world's largest grassroots human rights association, Amnesty International protects the values of "justice, freedom, truth and dignity". Through October 15, 2023, AI will spotlight current cases of human rights under attack around the world via challenges to creative expression.
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Freedom to Read FoundationThe Freedom to Read Foundation is a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association. Tasked with protecting and defending the First Amendment, the FTRF works to support both library and individual access to information.
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Intellectual Freedom CenterVia the National Council of Teachers of English, this group offers guidance, tools, and other support to teachers faced with challenges in classrooms and schools pertaining to texts (e.g., literary works, films and videos, drama productions), student writing, and/or to teaching methods.
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PEN America's Banned Books SitePEN America is a nonprofit working to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. This website includes a wealth of information on book bans, including links to tip sheets, book ban reports, banned book lists, author interviews, free webinars, and where to report book challenges.
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Unite Against Book BansTake action and join the national initiative to fight censorship and support the freedom to read.
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University of Chicago's Banned Books GuideThe University of Chicago has developed a banned book collection, in an effort to make them broadly available to all readers. Additionally, more than 900 banned/challenged ebooks are available for free through the Digital Public Library of America/University of Chicago's Banned Book Club. Download the Palace e-reader app to view and read free titles.
Challenge - The attempt to remove or restrict access to materials or services based on content.
Ban - The removal of materials or cancellation of services based on content.
Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2023
Gender Queer: a Memoir
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
All Boys Aren't Blue
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
This Book Is Gay
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, sex education, claimed to be sexually explicit
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content, rape, drugs, profanity
Flamer
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
The Bluest Eye
Challenged for: rape, incest, claimed to be sexually explicit, EDI content
Me and Earl and The Dying Girl
Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, profanity
Tricks
Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, drugs, rape, LGBTQIA+ content
Let's Talk about It
Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, sex education, LGBTQIA+ content
Sold
Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, rape
Frequently Banned and Challenged Books (for more complete lists, see box to the left)
Melissa (previously Published As GEORGE)
Challenged, banned and restricted for LGBTQA+ content.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Challenged and banned for profanity, racial slurs and racism.
The Bluest Eye
Challenged and banned for sexually explicit content (rape, incest) and language.
Of Mice and Men
Challenged and banned for offensive language, violence and racism.
The Hate U Give
Banned and challenged for profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda
All Boys Aren't Blue
Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
The Handmaid's Tale
Banned and challenged for profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones”
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Banned and challenged for profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones”
Beloved
Banned for sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence
The Color Purple
Challenged and banned for offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
The Color Purple
Challenged and banned for religious objections, homosexuality, violence, language and sexual explicit acts.
The Hunger Games
Challenged for being anti-ethnic, anti-family, and violent, and of having offensive language, occult/satanic references, and references to overt sexuality.
Brave New World
Challenged and banned for being anti-family, anti-religion and blasphemous content.
Adventures of Huckelberry Finn
Challenged and banned for racial slurs
The Awakening
Challenged and censored for its comparatively frank depictions of female sexual desire and for its depiction of a protagonist who chafed against social norms and established gender roles.
