During the week of Sept. 22, Auburn University Libraries will put a spotlight on books that have been banned or challenged by public schools and libraries throughout United States history. This event, called “Banned Books Week,” is coordinated by the American Library Association every year.
To kick off this celebration, library officials will show a movie adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird" in room 2031 of Ralph Brown Draughon Library. This 1962 movie has won three Oscars and features Atticus Finch's famous single-take courtroom monologue.
Criticism of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel often focuses on how the text “makes people uncomfortable” or how its themes and plot points are “immoral” and “trashy.” Something it has in common with many other banned books is the use of racial slurs. Part of censorship is getting rid of inappropriate, inflammatory or offensive content.
However, 47% of books people try to ban represent BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ voices and characters. A large portion of censorship silences minorities and robs the public of a well-rounded perspective.
Through Banned Books Week, the ALA attempts to educate readers, bring awareness to the harm of censorship and promote the freedom to share ideas.
Auburn University Libraries plans to align with these values by hosting a banned book reading later in the week on Thursday, Sept. 26. From 1–3 p.m, students are invited to read aloud from their favorite banned book in the echoey atmosphere of the Mell Classroom atrium.
The ALA’s theme for Banned Book Week this year is finding freedom in reading banned or challenged content. In a statement, the organization said readers "can find freedom in the pages of a book — but book bans and censorship threaten that freedom, along with many other rights and institutions. During Banned Books Week 2024 and beyond, let’s share our love of the right to read and the freedom found in books.”
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Sami Grace Donnelly, senior in English literature, began writing for the Plainsman in the fall of 2021. She has served as a columnist, writer abroad, Opinion Editor, managing editor and is now Editor-in-Chief of the Plainsman.
