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Organized Efforts Drive 72% of U.S. Book Challenges in 2024, Report Finds

The American Library Association highlights a decline in reported challenges but warns of underreporting and preemptive removals, with LGBTQ+ and racial themes remaining primary targets.

FILE - An LGBTQ+ related book is seen on shelf at Fabulosa Books a store in the Castro District of San Francisco on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Haven Daley,File)
FILE - A Banned Books Week display is at the Mott Haven branch of the New York Public Library in the Bronx borough of New York City on Saturday, October 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey,File)
FILE - Banned books are stacked at an exhibit at the American Library Association's annual conference, June 24, 2023, at McCormick Place in Chicago. (AP Photo/Claire Savage, File)
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Overview

  • The American Library Association's 2025 report reveals 72% of book challenges in 2024 were initiated by organized groups, elected officials, and administrators, while only 16% came from parents.
  • George M. Johnson's memoir 'All Boys Aren't Blue' was the most challenged book in 2024, followed by Maia Kobabe's 'Gender Queer' and Toni Morrison's 'The Bluest Eye.'
  • Despite a drop in reported challenges from 1,247 in 2023 to 821 in 2024, the ALA cautions that underreporting and preemptive removals may obscure the true scale of censorship.
  • Challenges predominantly targeted books with LGBTQ+ themes, racial topics, and issues of social justice, reflecting broader cultural and political conflicts.
  • State laws in places like Texas, Florida, Iowa, and Utah are shaping library policies, leading to restrictions on book acquisitions and increased legal concerns for librarians.