Essay On Banning Books

One of the most common reasons books are banned is because of racial topics covered in books. Debating the controversial issue happens often among scholars and concerned parents who are either fighting for the right to read the books or the right to ban the books. Throughout the history of the United States racial equality commonly presents itself as an issue. Censorship against the oppressed is a way racism and oppression are perpetuated. Burying the issue in a pile of censored books is not a way to solve the problem of inequality in the United States. The best thing to do is to become educated on the topic in order to correct and prevent the crimes of the past. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, The Autobiography of Malcom X by Malcom X, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie are all examples of books that exemplify the issue of race and censorship.

Growing up as an African American shaped Angelou’s life and experiences. The book emphasizes her struggles, joys, her manners and her culture. From page two of the book race is introduced as an influential topic of the book. “I was going to look like one of the sweet little white girls who were everybody’s dream of what was right in the world” (Angelou, 1969). The idea Angelou introduces here is that white is the ideal. From a young age, Angelou begins to understand the discrimination she will face as an African American. She mentions a short two paragraphs later that she would one day wake up from “my black ugly dream” (Angelou, 1969). Angelou is under the impression that she is ugly because she is black this struggle sets the stage for the complex role race plays in Maya Angelou’s life and the life of those around