Up next in 10
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
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https://www.blackexcellence.com/store/
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0:00
Since the last presidential election, a
0:02
new wave of censorship is sweeping
0:04
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
0:50
Nimmits Library removed nearly 400 books
0:53
as part of a directive from Defense
0:56
Secretary Pete Hexith, aligning with the
0:58
Trump administration's efforts to
1:00
eliminate DEI content from federal
1:02
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
1:09
Trump administration is handing out
1:10
these orders. Local leadership around
1:13
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
1:40
three list of most band books. All
1:42
American Boys by Jason Reynolds and
1:44
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
1:56
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
2:03
commonly banned books. Under the current
2:05
administration, the book has been
2:06
removed from various school programs
2:08
with officials citing concerns over its
2:10
divisive topics and sensitive matters.
2:13
Other controversial points in this book
2:15
include drug use, underage alcohol use,
2:18
and profanity. I mean, do I really have
2:20
to point out that there are plenty of
2:21
other books that are taught in high
2:23
schools that mention drug abuse, and
2:25
definitely have profanity in them, such
2:27
as classics like The Catcher in the Rye,
2:30
Speak, Looking for Alaska, and Perks of
2:32
Being a Wallflower. The Blest Eye by
2:35
Tony Morrison. Tony Morrison's debut
2:37
novel, The Blest Eye, has long been a
2:39
subject of controversy. The story of
2:41
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
2:56
Association's list of most challenged
2:58
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
3:16
You Give by Angie Thomas. Angie Thomas's
3:18
The Hate You Give follows Star Carter, a
3:21
black teenager who witnesses the police
3:23
shooting of her unarmed friend. The
3:25
novel addresses systematic racism and
3:28
police violence, leading to its
3:29
inclusion on multiple ban book lists.
3:32
Critics have cited its pervasively
3:33
vulgar language and alleged anti- police
3:36
message as reasons for its removal from
3:38
school curricula. In some districts such
3:40
as Katy, Texas, the book was pulled from
3:43
libraries due to its explicit content.
3:45
The book was turned into a movie a few
3:47
years back just in case you guys forgot.
3:49
Ghost Boys by Juel Parker Rhodess. Ghost
3:51
Boys tells the story of Jerome, a
3:53
12-year-old black boy killed by a police
3:56
officer who observes the aftermath of
3:58
his death as a ghost. The novel has been
4:00
challenged for its portrayal of racial
4:02
injustice and its potential to make
4:04
readers feel ashamed based on the color
4:07
of their skin. Despite its aim to foster
4:09
empathy and understanding, the book has
4:11
faced bans in certain school districts.
4:14
Michelle Obama, political icon by
4:16
Heather E. Schwarz. This biography has
4:19
been criticized for allegedly picking on
4:21
former President Donald Trump, the man
4:23
who picks on everybody on the planet.
4:26
Some parents have called for its removal
4:27
from school libraries, arguing that it
4:30
presents a biased political perspective.
4:32
The book's inclusion in educational
4:34
settings has become a point of
4:36
contention and broader debates over
4:38
political content in school. When Wilma
4:41
Rudolph played basketball, by Mark
4:43
Weakland, this children's book recounts
4:45
the story of Wilma Rudolph, an
4:47
African-American Olympic champion. A
4:49
parent in suburban Dallas objected to
4:51
the book, claiming it opines prejudice
4:53
based on race. The challenge reflects a
4:56
growing trend of scrutinizing
4:58
educational materials that address
5:00
racial issues even in historical
5:03
context. Now, let's look at some books
5:05
removed from the US Naval Academyy's
5:07
library. And these are books that are
5:09
just available at the library, not books
5:12
anybody was forced to read. Starting
5:14
with a classic here, I Know Why the Cage
5:16
Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Angelou's
5:18
seminal autobiography detailing her
5:21
early life and the challenges of growing
5:23
up black and female in America was among
5:26
the titles removed. The book is renowned
5:28
for its candid exploration of racism,
5:31
trauma, and resilience. This book was
5:33
targeted because it's a foundational
5:36
text in African-American literature and
5:38
feminist studies. Apparently telling
5:40
your own story and the oppression that
5:42
you faced while growing up in a racist
5:45
society is now DEI and not just history.
5:49
Absolutely nuts. At number two, we have
5:51
Half American by Matthew F. Delmont.
5:54
This work highlights the contributions
5:55
of African-Americans during World War
5:57
II, shedding light on their fight for
5:59
freedom abroad while facing segregation
6:02
and discrimination at home. Delmont's
6:04
book is a meticulously researched,
6:06
deeply moving historical account that
6:09
highlights the contradictions black
6:11
Americans faced during World War II.
6:13
Fighting fascism abroad while enduring
6:15
Jim Crow racism at home. Delmont
6:18
publicly criticized the removal,
6:20
stating, "It is deeply troubling to see
6:22
a book that celebrates the patriotism
6:24
and courage of African-Americans who
6:27
serve this country in war being removed
6:29
from military institutions." Their story
6:32
is America's story. Number three, A
6:35
respectable woman by Jane E. Debel. A
6:37
respectable woman is a historical study
6:40
that examines how black women in New
6:42
York during the 1800s navigated public
6:45
life as community leaders, political
6:47
activists, educators, and moral voices.
6:50
Debell's book highlights how race and
6:53
gender intersect to shape public life, a
6:56
concept closely associated with modern
6:58
DEI scholarships. Intersectionality,
7:00
while academically grounded, was
7:02
targeted by the administration as a woke
7:05
woke framework. Banning a respectable
7:08
woman suggests that accurately
7:10
portraying black women's lives and
7:12
contributions in American history is now
7:14
considered politically problematic
7:17
within federal institution. It
7:19
highlights the deeper concern that this
7:21
wave of censorship isn't just about
7:23
removing controversial content. It's
7:26
about erasing perspectives that
7:28
challenge a narrow sanitized version of
7:31
history. At number four, we have
7:32
Pursuing Trayvon Martin. Pursuing
7:34
Trayvon Martin is a scholarly collection
7:37
of essays edited by George Yansy and
7:40
Janine Jones that explores the 2012
7:42
shooting of Trayvon Martin and its
7:44
broader implications for race relations
7:47
in America. You know, the day that Trump
7:49
was elected, they ran to the library to
7:52
probably remove this book. The book's
7:53
content discussing white privilege,
7:56
racial trauma, and institutional
7:58
injustice was deemed inappropriate for
8:00
cadets training to be military leaders
8:02
according to the internal review
8:05
justifications. And these are just four
8:07
out of the 400 books removed from the
8:10
Naval Academy. And by the way, they've
8:12
only been in office for what, 2 months
8:14
when I'm making this video, two or 3
8:16
months. So, who knows where they're
8:18
going to stop. The decision to remove
8:20
these works has sparked criticism from
8:22
educators, students, and civil rights
8:25
advocates. Many argue that such actions
8:27
erase essential narratives and hinder a
8:30
comprehensive understanding of American
8:32
history. Petitions have emerged urging
8:34
that the Naval Academy reinstate the
8:36
removed books. Obviously, in a
8:39
functioning society, it is very
8:41
important to have diverse perspectives
8:43
in military education. This development
8:46
at the Naval Academy reflects a broader
8:48
trend of scrutinizing educational
8:51
materials across military institutions,
8:53
raising concerns about academic freedom
8:56
and the representation of marginalized
8:58
voices in historical discourse. Anyway,
9:01
let me know your thoughts in the
9:02
comments. Obviously, I think this is
9:04
completely crazy to go after books,
9:07
especially ones that are historical.
9:09
This isn't even opinion based. Like,
9:11
this is things that actually happened.
9:14
I'll catch you on the next one. Let's
9:15
all get through this. This is crazy.
#Discrimination & Identity Relations
#Sensitive Subjects