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These Black Books are BANNED, but why?
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
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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