What's the Deal?

With Ali Velshi's Banned Book Club

MSBNC host Ali Velshi founded his #VelshiBannedBookClub in February 2022, in response to the increasingly widespread practice of schools and libraries prohibiting readers — especially young readers — from accessing books that adults believe would make these readers uncomfortable.

These books include such literary classics as William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, contemporary tomes such as Alex Gino’s Melissa and Ibram X. Kendi’s How to be an Antiracist, and illustrated children’s books, New Kid and I Am Rosa Parks. Sadly, the list is way too long to include.

Connect WITH OUR SOCIAL ACTION TEAM



Listen

On our podcast

Watch

Velshi's interview with Taylor Brorby

Listen

Ali Velshi Banned Book Club on North Dakota’s Anti-Library Crusade

The MSNBC host and Citizen board member interviews Taylor Brorby, author of Boys and Oil, who found safe haven in books and libraries growing up. Unfortunately today's kids may not have that luxury.

Listen

Ali Velshi Banned Book Club on North Dakota’s Anti-Library Crusade

The MSNBC host and Citizen board member interviews Taylor Brorby, author of Boys and Oil, who found safe haven in books and libraries growing up. Unfortunately today's kids may not have that luxury.

For Taylor Brorby, growing up gay in North Dakota — the least visited state in America — would have been impossible without books featuring queer stories to help him navigate the world and provide a model for who he could be and what kind of life he could lead. His memoir Boys and Oil: Growing Up Gay in a Fractured Land is exactly the kind of book a young man like him could take comfort in today … except in North Dakota. Ali Velshi discusses with Brorby, an advocate for access to literature, the hostile climate toward literature and libraries that the state’s legislature is creating.

Two bills introduced in the state legislature last year directly attacked libraries and even threatened librarians. The first, House Bill 1205, prohibits public libraries from possessing or lending “explicit sexual material,” while the second, which was vetoed by the governor, proposed prosecuting librarians who allowed books with this undefined sexual material to be within the view of minors.

Restricting the type of texts that are offered to the public is no less than a path to fascism, Brorby says. But he insists we can fight back.

“You fight it by raising your voice. We each have a voice, and I’ve been so grateful to the publications that have allowed me to share mine. People need to be speaking up. They need to be going into their public libraries and demanding much more of their library boards in particular.” He concluded with, “We need people with moral courage to enter the fight, to run in our local elections, and to say this is enough. Enough is enough.”

Listen to Velshi and Taylor Brorby :

 

Watch Velshi’s interview with Brorby:

 

Velshi on banned books on MSNBC:

 

MORE ON BANNED BOOKS FROM THE CITIZEN

 

 

Ali Velshi interviews Taylor Brorby, author of Boys and Oil

The Philadelphia Citizen will only publish thoughtful, civil comments. If your post is offensive, not only will we not publish it, we'll laugh at you while hitting delete.

Support Your Local Journalism. "With your help, we can be the antidote to the failures of big media, the bitterness of national politics, your post-election malaise and the confusion about what to do now" - Roxanne Patel Shepelavy, Executive Director, The Philadelphia Citizen. Button that says Give that leads to a donation page for end of year fundraising. Your gift will fund independent, local journalism and solutions for Philadelphia.

Be a Citizen Editor

Suggest a Story

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.