Stories about people of color and LGBTQ topics continue to be banned in school libraries at disproportionate rates, according to the latest analysis from PEN America, a free speech advocacy organization that tracks curriculum censorship.
The report, released on Feb. 27, is based on PEN America’s documentation of the more than 10,000 instances of book bans nationwide, as school districts banned many of the same titles.
Of the 4,218 unique banned titles in the 2023–24 school year, 1,534 —36 percent — featured fictional characters or real people of color. Among banned history and biography titles alone, researchers found 44 percent featured people of color, with 26 percent of banned historical and biographical titles specifically featuring Black people.
Meanwhile, 29 percent of all banned titles included LGBTQ characters, people or themes. Of the banned titles with LGBTQ characters or people, 28 percent specifically featured trans and/or genderqueer characters. The report noted that more than half of the banned books with LGBTQ people or characters include communities of color, highlighting the intersectionality of bans targeting marginalized groups.
Stories about people with disabilities, immigrants, social activism and bullying were also common targets.
Such bans can have profoundly negative impacts on students, Sabrina Baêta, senior manager for PEN America’s Freedom to Read program, said in a statement.
“This targeted censorship amounts to a harmful assault on historically marginalized and underrepresented populations — a dangerous effort to erase their stories, achievements, and history from schools,” Baêta said. “When we strip library shelves of books about particular groups, we defeat the purpose of a library collection that is supposed to reflect the lives of all people. The damaging consequences to young people are real.”
Research has shown that banning books about the experiences and histories of marginalized groups of people increases feelings of exclusion and invisibility, and intensifies their risk of mental health challenges. Removing books about students of color in school libraries specifically has been shown to have harmful impacts on mental health.
The movement to ban books originated in a coordinated network of groups, PEN America noted, and it’s picking up steam. The number of books banned nationwide have increased from 2,532 in 2021–22 to 10,046 during the 2023–24 school year — a trend that may continue into the coming year. In January, the Trump Administration rescinded guidance released under Biden Administration that said school districts could violate civil rights law by implementing book bans.
Proponents of such bans often cite issues related to “explicit,” “pornographic” or “divisive content,” particularly for younger readers. However, PEN America’s analysis found that of the 4,218 unique titles examined, just 31 percent included references to sexual experiences, but with minimal detail, and only 13 percent described the sexual experiences “on the page.”
Books offering real-world experience on topics that students nationwide grapple with, such as death and grief, violence, abuse and mental health issues, were among those banned at higher levels.
Additionally, some of the most commonly banned titles included those often read by older students, including books by authors Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, Jodi Picoult and John Green.
The report found that in addition to works of fiction and picture books, banned books commonly included genres like history, biographies and memoirs.
“Books about race and racism (20 percent of all banned titles) illuminate the ways in which these factors have impacted history and everyday life,” according to a PEN America statement. “Books on activism and social movements (15 percent) illustrate real and fictional stories about those who have worked to better the world in which they live. Books that touch on incarceration and policing (13 percent) can increase young people’s understanding of prison and policing systems, and foster empathy towards those impacted. Books about immigration or immigrants and refugees (7 percent) help raise awareness and dispel misinformation.”
