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.

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Velshi and Polonsky on MSNBC

Listen: Ali Velshi Banned Book Club on Anne Frank

The MSNBC host welcomes Israeli illustrator David Polonsky to discuss the universal experience of love, puberty, and the world's most famous child author

Listen: Ali Velshi Banned Book Club on Anne Frank

The MSNBC host welcomes Israeli illustrator David Polonsky to discuss the universal experience of love, puberty, and the world's most famous child author

In 2018, Israeli artist David Polonsky and Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman adapted teenage Holocaust victim Anne Frank’s diary, a seminal text of 20th-century history, into a graphic novel. Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation brings Frank’s words to life with compelling imagery and thought-provoking visual interpretation. MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi sits down with Polonsky, the illustrator, to discuss how teaching history, especially its darkest events, can and should be very uncomfortable.

The Diary of Anne Frank is often the first introduction for students to the human toll of the Holocaust, but not for students in a Texas classroom whose teacher was fired for assigning the graphic novel.

Listen to Ali’s interview with David Polonsky:

 

Watch Velshi and Polonsky: 

 

 

Velshi on banned books on MSNBC:

 

MORE ON BANNED BOOKS FROM THE CITIZEN

 

Ali Velshi talks with Israeli artist David Polonsky about adapting The Diary of Anne Frank

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