The following is taken from an article in the American Libraries Magazine, "50 Years of Intellectual Freedom."
The 1980's were times of conflict and unrest.
In 1976, Steven Pico was one of five high school students who sued their school district for banning 11 books in their schools. The students claimed this violated their 1st Amendment rights. After 6 years, the Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982) Supreme Court case ruled that a school board should not be able to remove books because they did not approve of the books' contents.
Inspired by the drama of the 80's and this court ruling, the American Booksellers Association (ABA) displayed about 500 challenged books in padlocked metal cages at the 1982 BookExpo America trade show in Anaheim, California.
After the success of this display, ABA, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), and the National Association of College Stores launched The Banned Books Week initiative. The initiative took off and here we are today--celebrating Banned Books Week during the last week of September!
Freedom to Read: A Message from Carlos Peñaloza, Chancellor of Leeward Community College
Filmed Fall 2025 in our library!
A few titles in the top 10 are here at Leeward Community College Library!
We also compiled a full list of titles that have made ALA's frequently challenged list throughout the years. You can browse this list by clicking the Banned and Challenged Titles at Leeward Library tab at the top of this guide.
Banned Books Week 2025 will focus on featuring books that highlight and uplift the LGBTQ+ community. By displaying these banned books, our community can show solidarity and bring awareness to the ongoing censorship and prejudice happening in the US. It is also crucial to remember that the freedom to read and speak your mind is one of the fundamental pillars of our society. Please keep in mind the words of 2025’s Banned Books Week Honorary Chair, George Takei, from his graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy, "people can do great things, George. They can come up with noble, shining ideals. But people are also fallible human beings, and we know they made a terrible mistake."
Discussion between Leeward CC Student Life and instruction librarian, Natalie Kahn, about Banned Books Week. Learn about books that have been banned and challenged in the educational system, particularly LGBTQ+ books.
