Blacklisted! Banned Books Fair & Conference
Date and Time for this Past Event
- Sat, Feb 24, 2024 - Sun, Feb 25, 2024
Location
Loudermilk Center
40 Courtland St
Details
February 2024, the NBAF Black History Month Program celebrates the African American authors creating work that challenges the status quo and speaks truth to power with a mini book fair and conference: Blacklisted! Banned Books Fair
Since as far back as Reconstruction, Black writing in the United States has been widely treated as obscene, seditious, and even dangerous. The repression of Black authors has never really stopped; however, this campaign has roared back into life with a relentless recent effort to remove Black-authored books from our collective history.
More than 1,600 books were banned in 138 school districts across 32 states between 2021 and 2022, according to a report by PEN America. The vast majority of challenged and banned books feature BIPOC or LGBTQ+ characters, discuss gender, sexuality, and race in America, or are written by Black and POC authors. By celebrating and sharing these authors' works, we push back on the erasure of Black voices, histories, and perspectives in the formation of our national identity.
This interactive experience features:
- Moderated panel discussions with Black Authors & Intellectuals
- Indie Black Book Market featuring African American booksellers and authors
- Youth Book Fair with interactive children’s activities
- Interactive exhibitions about banned African-American literature and authors
- Social Photo booths, food vendors & more!
