Banned Books Week Marks 20 Years

This year, the American Library Association celebrates Banned Books Week's 20th anniversary during its 150th anniversary. The week will be October 4–10, 2026, with the chosen theme of "Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read." Authors throughout the US take advantage of different events such as book fairs, book clubs, and book events, highlighting the different banned books that we no longer see on our shelves today. The creators behind the theme and the commemorative week say banned books should not be forgotten nor erased from history, as we know history will always repeat itself. 

Before a book officially becomes banned, it starts off as a challenged book, in which the ALA compiles a list of the most challenged books every year to raise awareness and keep those informed of what might soon be out of stores. Just last year, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) tracked 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025,  the second-highest ever documented by ALA. Of that, 39% represent the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ people and people of color. The ALA's ongoing campaigns unite against book bans to empower readers to stand up for the books they enjoyed reading, and reporting censorship can help those authors and categories avoid being overly targeted.

Book banning may seem like one of the many trends of the 20th century, but it dates back to 1637 in the US and 259 BC worldwide. Book banning recently picked up steam during a time of conservatism and conservative values. The practice has persisted throughout the years, but each year, literary authors, fans, and book lovers unite to host a Banned Books Week. This makes sense, as pressure groups, government officials, and decision-makers initiated 92% of all book challenges, up from 72% in 2024. Less than 3% of challenges originated from individual parents.

The story behind the theme is the protection of speech and the protection of creative writing and stories that represent what we see in the time we live in now; banned books are the origin story of somebody's reading journey, and for others, some lesbian books hold a special place. The "Let Books Be" poster was created by Hyesu Lee, one of three illustrations from award-winning artists Hyesu Lee, Love is Wise, and Mikey Burton that embrace joy and creativity as acts of resilience. The week will have online events each day, soon to be announced on the ALA pages.