The Bluest Eye
Toni Morrison
Pulled from Cobb County, Ga. school libraries, September 2026. Banned in 49 school districts, 2023–24.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Get the book via Bookshop.orgThe UnBanned reading room
Frequently challenged.
Endlessly worth reading.
An editorial selection of historically banned and challenged works. This is not a current national ranking: counts vary by period, institution, and reporting method.
The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas
Banned in 39 school districts in 6 states, 2023–24, including Charlotte County, Fla. (Aug. 2023).
Source: PEN America Get the book via Bookshop.org
Beloved
Toni Morrison
Banned in 39 school districts in Florida, Iowa and Texas, 2023–24, including Charlotte County, Fla. (Aug. 2023).
Source: PEN America Get the book via Bookshop.org
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou
Banned in 37 school districts in 4 states, 2023–24, including Charlotte County, Fla. (Aug. 2023).
Source: PEN America Get the book via Bookshop.org
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Zora Neale Hurston
Banned in 16 school districts in Florida and Iowa, 2023–24, including Collier County, Fla. (Oct. 2023).
Source: PEN America Get the book via Bookshop.org
Native Son
Richard Wright
Banned in 19 school districts in Florida and Iowa, 2023–24, including Escambia County, Fla. (Aug. 2023).
Source: PEN America Get the book via Bookshop.org
The Color Purple
Alice Walker
Banned in 50 school districts in 4 states, 2023–24, including Collier County, Fla. (Oct. 2023).
Source: PEN America Get the book via Bookshop.org
Invisible Man
Ralph Ellison
Banned in 7 school districts in Florida and Iowa, 2023–24, including Escambia County, Fla. (Aug. 2023).
Source: PEN America Get the book via Bookshop.orgGo deeper.
Find 50+ more Black history selections and read the sources behind our historical context.