Today, CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein will be talking about censorship and comics in Berkeley, California! You can also join a free online webinar about regional censorship issues and “travel” from London to South Carolina to Texas to California with anti-censorship activists Jodie Ginsberg (CEO, Index on Censorship), Shelia Harrell-Roye (committee member from Charleston Friends of the Library), and Tony Diaz (leader of El Librotraficante).
Several folks reached out to CBLDF to tell us about their events, and you can check them out below. Today, there are events in Georgia and Montana, as well as a week-long fundraiser in Texas! The list that follows is far from complete — no matter where you live, you’re sure to find a Banned Books Week event nearby. For a longer list of events organized by state, check out http://www.bannedbooksweek.org!
California
Censorship and Comics in America
Wednesday, September 24 • 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Berkeley Public Library (North Branch, 1170 The Alameda at Hopkins, Berkeley, CA)
Charles Brownstein, Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, takes you through the secret history of American comics in this engaging lecture. Learn how moral panic led to comic book burning, how censorship shaped the modern comics landscape, what modern threats to comics freedom still exist, and what YOU can do to help!
Georgia
Banned and Challenged Book Read-Out
Wednesday, September 24, 11:00 – 2:00 p.m. CDT
Campus Center Patio (Brunswick, GA)
Camden Center Library will be holding “Banned and Challenged Book Read-Out.” During the event, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to read a passage from their favorite banned or challenged book. A brief explanation of how the book was challenged would be helpful as well. More info
Montana
Banned Books Week – A Brief History of Comics Graphic Lit
Wednesday, September 24, 6:00 p.m. MDT
Missoula Public Library (301 E Main St., Missoula, Montana)
A Brief History of Comics and Graphic Literature with Jason Brenner of MUSE Comics. More info
Texas
Banned Books Week at Generation X Comics
September 21 – 27, 2014
Generation X Comics (3504 Harwood Rd Suite 304, Bedford, TX)
Generation X will donate an amount equal to the purchase price anytime someone buys a banned comic during Banned Books Week. Titles included in the offer are Adventures of Captain Underpants Vol. 1, Batman: The Killing Joke, Bone Vol. 1: Out from Boneville, Fun Home, Maus Vol. 1, Persepolis, Pride of Baghdad, Sandman Vol. 1, Stuck Rubber Baby, Tank Girl Vol. 1, and Watchmen. More info
Online
Free webinar: Regional Issues for Banned Books in 2014
Wednesday, September 24, 9:00 a.m. PDT / 12:00 p.m. EDT
In 2013, there were 307 reported requests for books to be removed from America’s libraries, potentially putting those volumes out of reach of students, readers, and learners of all types. While every corner of the map faces unique issues related to library censorship, these issues also catalyze passionate freedom-to-read advocates dedicated to getting the books back on library shelves. In this one-hour webinar, we will “travel” from London, to South Carolina, to Texas, to California, to talk with three activists about the problems they face and their efforts to un-ban books as well as Congresswoman Linda Sanchez about why their efforts are so important.
- London, UK: Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of Index on Censorship, will start us off by discussing issues faced outside of the U.S. and how Index chooses to respond.
- Charleston, South Carolina: We will then travel to Charleston — where the graphic novel Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel has been a flashpoint in a university funding controversy — to hear from Shelia Harrell-Roye, a committee member from Charleston Friends of the Library. With the 2014 Banned Books Week focus on graphic novels, Harrell-Roye will discuss what her group has been doing to support this critically acclaimed book.
- Houston, Texas: Moving westward, we will travel to Houston to hear from Tony Diaz, author, radio host, and leader of El Librotraficante. Diaz is a champion for banned books and for ethnic studies textbooks in both Arizona and Texas.
This banned books journey will end in California where Congresswoman Linda Sánchez of the CA 38th District, will offer some closing remarks about why the freedom to read is so important for our nation’s future. Afterward, our very own Ed McBride will wrap up the conversation from Thousand Oaks, CA.
Registration is free, but spaces are limited. Register here.