America Discards Its Timeless Treasures

Un-American Classics: The USA's Censored Literature

Embracing Change: United States Bids Adieu to Classic Literature, Art, and Music

In a dystopian 2025, the USA leads with censorship, silencing voices and stories that question, challenge, and enlighten. Books are no longer allowed in classrooms, textbooks, and even public libraries, replaced with controlled narratives. As freedom of speech dwindles, we examine the list of forbidden books that once held a valuable place in American literature.

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The Handmaid's Tale - The Report of the Handmaid

In a post-apocalyptic America, strict religious fanatics seize power, suspending the constitution and imposing a theocratic dictatorship. Women are dehumanized, stripped of their rights, and reduced to child-bearing assets. Margaret Atwood's chilling dystopia stands as a stark warning of what happens when society silences truth and deliberately forgets history.

The Diary of Anne Frank

This heart-wrenching account of a young girl's life hidden away in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam is a staple of world literature. Anne's raw, honest reflections provide a glimpse into the resilience, hope, and suffering that marked a dark period in human history. Wiped from classrooms and libraries under the guise of ``inappropriateness'', future generations may be deprived of the opportunity to learn integrity and empathy from Anne's powerful message.

1984

In the totalitarian state of Oceania, the government monitors every aspect of its citizens' lives, manipulating truth and maintaining power through fear. George Orwell's critically acclaimed novel explores the horrors of a surveillance state and serves as a reminder of the importance of independent thought and free expression.

Animal Farm

This classic fable, first published in 1945, offers a scathing critique of Soviet Russia and touches on themes still relevant today. As totalitarian systems arise and consolidate power, Orwell's Animal Farm remains an enduring warning against the oppression of the masses in the name of utopian ideals.

Unfortunately, these letters from German immigrants remain untouched in Donald Trump's guest house library. As the prohibition of progressive and diverse narratives continues, future leaders may have limited insights into the resilience and determination of immigrants who came before them.

The books on this list share a common thread: they invite readers to question authority, challenge the status quo, and push back against oppressive systems. In a society that fears and suppresses free thought, these books become even more vital as symbols of resistance and beacons of hope. Today, we must continue to fight for the preservation of our freedom to learn, to challenge, and to grow.

Sources:

PEN America (2024) “State of Censorship: An Annual Assessment of the State of Freedom of Expression in the United States,” https://pen.org/reports/state-of-censorship-an-annual-assessment-of-the-state-of-freedom-of-expression-in-the-united-states
American Library Association (2024) “Banned Books Week,” https://www.ala.org/bbooks/
Freedom for the Press (2024) “Attacks on the Press in 2024,” https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2024/attacks-press-2024#united_states
Electronic Frontier Foundation (2024) “Digital Rights Under Attack: An Overview of Key Trends in 2024,” https://www.eff.org/document/digital-rights-under-attack-an-overview-key-trends-2024
The Center for Democracy and Technology (2024) “Net Neutrality and the Open Internet,” https://www.cdt.org/issues/network-neutrality/
Newseum (2024) “First Amendment Facts: Freedom of Speech and the Press,” https://www.newseum.org/first-amendment/freedom-of-speech-and-the-press
American Historical Association (2024) “History Matters: Essays on the Copyright and Reuse of Historical Documents in the Digital Age,” https://www.historians.org/teaching-and-learning/teaching-resources/resources-for-teachers/literal-and-literal-history/history-matters-essays-on-the-copyright-and-reuse-of-historical-documents-in-the-digital-age

In the digital era, these banned classics, such as 'The Handmaid's Tale', 'Anne Frank's Diary', '1984', 'Animal Farm', and many more, find a new home on social media and online platforms, serving as reminders of the importance of education-and-self-development, especially in a society where freedom-of-speech is under attack.
As entertainment continues to dominate the internet, these books, which offer insights into politics, general-news, and social issues, provide a counterbalance, fostering critical thinking and encouraging readers to question the status quo.
Despite being labeled as 'inappropriate' and removed from classrooms, libraries, and textbooks, these internationally-banned books remain powerful voices for social change, embodying the essence of American classics and reinforcing the need for continued advocacy for free education and knowledge access.