Thursday, October 8, 2026 — Native authors and book sellers reflect on a record year for banned books

The number of books dropped from school reading lists and public library shelves is the highest since the organization, PEN America, started keeping track. Fueled mainly by conservative pressure groups and elected leaders at the school board and state legislative levels, the challenges to books target what opponents consider obscenity and themes that are too mature for younger readers. But books by Native writers that cover issues like race, social justice and historical accounts that go against more patriotic portrayals are also caught up in the attempts to control what people can read. We’ll hear about the trends for removing books for public view.