book banning

A Black woman wearing a black t-shirt holds out a microphone for another older Black woman who is seated and wearing a red t-shirt to speak into. They are at the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C. A sign that reads "Defend Black Studies" lays in the corner.

VOICES: Teaching truth in the face of book bans

By Judy Richardson
June 28, 2023 - Over the past few years, the number of attempted book bans has skyrocketed, going hand-in-hand with proposed laws to limit what can be taught in classrooms. The book titles most often targeted are those written by people of color and LGBTQ+ authors, and those featuring discussions of race, gender, and sexual orientation. In this Voices piece, we share a recent speech given by civil rights veteran Judy Richardson on the necessity of truth telling and teaching in the face of book censorship.

VOICES: The long struggle to read in Alabama's prisons

By Beth Shelburne
March 3, 2022 - While reporting on the human rights crisis in Alabama's prisons, journalist Beth Shelburne began corresponding with incarcerated men in the state about their fight to read. She recounts their ongoing battles against censorship inside an irrational system where books and magazines are treated like dangerous contraband.