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These Black Books are BANNED, but why?
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Apr 24, 2025
Black books are under attack across the US. Here are just some of the books being banned in schools and libraries. Links to the books: 1. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely: https://amzn.to/42Q1zpH 2. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison: https://amzn.to/44ac4GS 3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: https://amzn.to/44EVlvi 4. Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes: https://amzn.to/3YdXt9r 5. Michelle Obama: Political Icon by Heather E. Schwartz: https://amzn.to/4cM7hO5 6. When Wilma Rudolph Played Basketball by Mark Weakland: https://amzn.to/4iumGDK 7. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou: https://amzn.to/44EaeOq 8. "Half American" by Matthew F. Delmont: https://amzn.to/4ixKnLt 9. "A Respectable Woman" by Jane E. Dabel: https://amzn.to/3RuQgy2 10. "Pursuing Trayvon Martin": https://amzn.to/42WFbw5 Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss any future videos! Check out the books we love and recommend in our Black Excellence Book Club: https://www.blackexcellence.com/store/
View Video Transcript
0:00
Since the last presidential election, a
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new wave of censorship is sweeping
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through American educational
0:05
institutions, targeting literature that
0:08
delves into the black experience. The
0:10
latest to be pulled for review, a book
0:12
about baseball legend Roberto Clemente.
0:15
A passage in Roberto Clemente Pride of
0:17
the Pittsburgh Pirates references the
0:19
racism he faced in the US. The attempted
0:22
banning of books here in America. Four
0:24
of the 10 deals, specifically with race
0:26
and racism. Under President Donald
0:29
Trump's administration, executive orders
0:31
aimed at eliminating diversity, equity,
0:33
and inclusion, also known as DEI
0:36
initiatives, led to the removal of
0:38
numerous African-American authored books
0:40
from school curricula and libraries. You
0:43
know you're headed in a great direction
0:44
in your country when you start getting
0:46
rid of books. That's always the start of
0:48
something great. The US Naval Academyy's
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Nimmits Library removed nearly 400 books
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as part of a directive from Defense
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Secretary Pete Hexith, aligning with the
0:58
Trump administration's efforts to
1:00
eliminate DEI content from federal
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institutions. Among the band are works
1:05
by some of our treasured authors like
1:07
Maya Angelou. But it's not like the
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Trump administration is handing out
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these orders. Local leadership around
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the country is taking aim at books
1:15
exploring critical race theory or just
1:17
the black experience in America. In
1:19
today's episode, we'll look at some of
1:21
these ban books. Hi, my name is Jared
1:23
and I talk about interesting stories and
1:25
trends in the black culture because
1:27
black culture is just that interesting
1:29
to me. If you share my interest, hit
1:31
that subscribe button and let's deep
1:33
dive into some interesting black culture
1:36
and history in every episode. Let's
1:38
start with one book that's made the top
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three list of most band books. All
1:42
American Boys by Jason Reynolds and
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Brendan Kylie. All-American Boys tells
1:46
the story of two teenagers, one black
1:48
and one white, grappling with the
1:50
aftermath of a police brutality
1:52
incident. The novel has been challenged
1:54
for its portrayal of law enforcement
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with critics accusing it of promoting
1:58
anti- police sentiments. In 2020, it
2:00
ranked third on the ALA's list of most
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commonly banned books. Under the current
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administration, the book has been
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removed from various school programs
2:08
with officials citing concerns over its
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divisive topics and sensitive matters.
2:13
Other controversial points in this book
2:15
include drug use, underage alcohol use,
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and profanity. I mean, do I really have
2:20
to point out that there are plenty of
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other books that are taught in high
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schools that mention drug abuse, and
2:25
definitely have profanity in them, such
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as classics like The Catcher in the Rye,
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Speak, Looking for Alaska, and Perks of
2:32
Being a Wallflower. The Blest Eye by
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Tony Morrison. Tony Morrison's debut
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novel, The Blest Eye, has long been a
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subject of controversy. The story of
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Bakola Breadlo, a young black girl who
2:44
yearns for blue eyes, confronts themes
2:46
of racial self-loathing and essay.
2:48
Critics have labeled the book as very
2:50
explicit and unsuited for certain age
2:52
groups, leading to its frequent
2:54
appearance on the American Library
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Association's list of most challenged
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books. Under the Trump administration,
3:00
the novel has faced renewed scrutiny.
3:02
Opponents arguing that its content was
3:04
inappropriate for students. Despite its
3:07
literary acclaim, including Morrison's
3:09
Nobel Prize in literature, The Bluest
3:11
Eye was removed from several schools
3:13
reading lists and libraries. The Hate
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You Give by Angie Thomas. Angie Thomas's
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The Hate You Give follows Star Carter, a
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black teenager who witnesses the police
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shooting of her unarmed friend. The
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novel addresses systematic racism and
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police violence, leading to its
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inclusion on multiple ban book lists.
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Critics have cited its pervasively
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vulgar language and alleged anti- police
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message as reasons for its removal from
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school curricula. In some districts such
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as Katy, Texas, the book was pulled from
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libraries due to its explicit content.
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The book was turned into a movie a few
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years back just in case you guys forgot.
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Ghost Boys by Juel Parker Rhodess. Ghost
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Boys tells the story of Jerome, a
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12-year-old black boy killed by a police
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officer who observes the aftermath of
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his death as a ghost. The novel has been
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challenged for its portrayal of racial
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injustice and its potential to make
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readers feel ashamed based on the color
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of their skin. Despite its aim to foster
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empathy and understanding, the book has
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faced bans in certain school districts.
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Michelle Obama, political icon by
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Heather E. Schwarz. This biography has
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been criticized for allegedly picking on
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former President Donald Trump, the man
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who picks on everybody on the planet.
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Some parents have called for its removal
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from school libraries, arguing that it
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presents a biased political perspective.
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The book's inclusion in educational
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settings has become a point of
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contention and broader debates over
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political content in school. When Wilma
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Rudolph played basketball, by Mark
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Weakland, this children's book recounts
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the story of Wilma Rudolph, an
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African-American Olympic champion. A
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parent in suburban Dallas objected to
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the book, claiming it opines prejudice
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based on race. The challenge reflects a
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growing trend of scrutinizing
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educational materials that address
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racial issues even in historical
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context. Now, let's look at some books
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removed from the US Naval Academyy's
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library. And these are books that are
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just available at the library, not books
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anybody was forced to read. Starting
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with a classic here, I Know Why the Cage
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Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Angelou's
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seminal autobiography detailing her
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early life and the challenges of growing
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up black and female in America was among
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the titles removed. The book is renowned
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for its candid exploration of racism,
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trauma, and resilience. This book was
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targeted because it's a foundational
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text in African-American literature and
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feminist studies. Apparently telling
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your own story and the oppression that
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you faced while growing up in a racist
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society is now DEI and not just history.
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Absolutely nuts. At number two, we have
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Half American by Matthew F. Delmont.
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This work highlights the contributions
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of African-Americans during World War
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II, shedding light on their fight for
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freedom abroad while facing segregation
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and discrimination at home. Delmont's
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book is a meticulously researched,
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deeply moving historical account that
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highlights the contradictions black
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Americans faced during World War II.
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Fighting fascism abroad while enduring
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Jim Crow racism at home. Delmont
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publicly criticized the removal,
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stating, "It is deeply troubling to see
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a book that celebrates the patriotism
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and courage of African-Americans who
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serve this country in war being removed
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from military institutions." Their story
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is America's story. Number three, A
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respectable woman by Jane E. Debel. A
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respectable woman is a historical study
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that examines how black women in New
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York during the 1800s navigated public
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life as community leaders, political
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activists, educators, and moral voices.
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Debell's book highlights how race and
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gender intersect to shape public life, a
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concept closely associated with modern
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DEI scholarships. Intersectionality,
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while academically grounded, was
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targeted by the administration as a woke
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woke framework. Banning a respectable
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woman suggests that accurately
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portraying black women's lives and
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contributions in American history is now
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considered politically problematic
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within federal institution. It
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highlights the deeper concern that this
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wave of censorship isn't just about
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removing controversial content. It's
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about erasing perspectives that
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challenge a narrow sanitized version of
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history. At number four, we have
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Pursuing Trayvon Martin. Pursuing
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Trayvon Martin is a scholarly collection
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of essays edited by George Yansy and
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Janine Jones that explores the 2012
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shooting of Trayvon Martin and its
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broader implications for race relations
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in America. You know, the day that Trump
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was elected, they ran to the library to
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probably remove this book. The book's
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content discussing white privilege,
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racial trauma, and institutional
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injustice was deemed inappropriate for
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cadets training to be military leaders
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according to the internal review
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justifications. And these are just four
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out of the 400 books removed from the
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Naval Academy. And by the way, they've
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only been in office for what, 2 months
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when I'm making this video, two or 3
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months. So, who knows where they're
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going to stop. The decision to remove
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these works has sparked criticism from
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educators, students, and civil rights
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advocates. Many argue that such actions
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erase essential narratives and hinder a
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comprehensive understanding of American
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history. Petitions have emerged urging
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that the Naval Academy reinstate the
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removed books. Obviously, in a
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functioning society, it is very
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important to have diverse perspectives
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in military education. This development
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at the Naval Academy reflects a broader
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trend of scrutinizing educational
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materials across military institutions,
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raising concerns about academic freedom
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and the representation of marginalized
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voices in historical discourse. Anyway,
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let me know your thoughts in the
9:02
comments. Obviously, I think this is
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completely crazy to go after books,
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especially ones that are historical.
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This isn't even opinion based. Like,
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this is things that actually happened.
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I'll catch you on the next one. Let's
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all get through this. This is crazy.