by Aziah Siid
Mychal Threets, a Black librarian and literary activist with a social media following rivaling that of any influencer, has a message for readers struggling to find themselves on shelves due to conservative-led book bans in public schools and libraries: You have the power to fight back.
“You belong in books, in libraries, in the world, just as you are. You have the freedom to read, to be in books, to see yourselves,” Threets says in a recent Instagram post about why he’s supporting the Freedom to Read Community Day of Action on October 19.
Threets created the post to announce his partnership with the New York Public Library on the Freedom to Read Community Day of Action campaign, an effort to encourage collective action and civic pushback against banning or restricting access to books written by, for, or about people from diverse communities.
The day is a national initiative from the American Library Association and its Unite Against Book Bans campaign, in partnership with Brooklyn, Queens and New York Public Libraries, and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries. The joint effort was started “in response to the wave of book banning and censorship that started gathering momentum in 2020,” according to a press release from the ALA.
Why are they holding the day of action? Because “coordinated attempts to censor reading material continue to impact schools and public libraries nationwide, threatening the First Amendment rights of all Americans.”
The hope is that the day will “unite readers everywhere in support of the freedom to read as a popular, nonpartisan, fundamental American right that is essential to supporting an informed citizenry.”
In 2024, books bans and censorship reached record numbers, with 4,240 unique book titles targeted for removal from school and local library shelves. Most were titles representing the stories and lived experiences of people of color in addition to books with people who identify as LGBTQ+.
As coordinated attacks on books continue to happen, families are watching certain books slowly vanish from schools and libraries, and kids have less access to books that reflect their voices and lives.
Host Your Own Day of Action, But Be Careful
A free event guide and promotion kit walks folks who cares about the issue through how to host their own local Freedom to Read Community Day of Action on Oct. 19. It suggests everything from being ready to answer common questions about book banning to “inviting local community leaders, authors, librarians, or educators who want to share personal stories,” about what books mean to them.
However, given the vitriol against books by Black and other racially or ethnically diverse authors — and against books about Black history — it’s also suggested that folks take some safety precautions ahead of any scheduled events.
Precautions include monitoring social media and emails for threats or protests and inspecting areas around event venues for suspicious people or items. Restricting access to only those authorized to attend or celebrate the event is also recommended.
But if Mychal the Librarian can get the courage to show up to the day of action at the New York Public Library, the rest of us can, too. As Threets says in his Instagram video, “It is all about the freedom to read.”
