‘Banned Wagon’ tour aims to fight censorship, banning of books
In communities across the U.S., the freedom to read is under attack.
Faced with ever-growing book bans, the people behind the annual Banned Books Week, which took place last month, have taken their battle against censorship on the road.
(The Banned Wagon)
The Banned Wagon, sponsored by Penguin Random House, Unite Against Book Bans, First Book and Little Free Library, has spent the past several weeks visiting bookstores and libraries in Midwestern and Southern communities impacted by book banning.
“The Banned Wagon is visiting communities with a high volume of book bans and challenges,” the event website states. “In addition to independent bookstores, this year’s route includes libraries in response to the alarming 92% increase in books targeted for censorship at public libraries in 2023.”
The Banned Wagon, which has visited locations from Wisconsin to Virginia, has received a warm welcome in the cities chosen for the tour. In Southern Pines, North Carolina, on Tuesday, dozens of residents lined up outside The Country Bookshop, according to The Pilot.
Participants were each given a copy of one of the books that have been targeted for removal from libraries and schools across the country. Titles include Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” and “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.”
An event scheduled for Friday in Gainesville, Florida, has been canceled due to Hurricane Milton. The tour will come to an end on Tuesday at Black Pearl Books in Austin, Texas.