Read Free: Recent Episodes
Alex
Read Free is dedicated to fighting unfair book censorship and encouraging quality representation for all. Your story matters.
A coalition of organizations and businesses is suing the State of Texas over the READER Act. Today we are joined by Charley Rejsek, the CEO of BookPeople, to talk about being a plaintiff in the case. Listen to better understand the threat that the READER Act poses not only to Texas readers, but to Texas businesses.
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Visit the BookPeople website
Follow BookPeople on Instagram: @bookpeople
Find an independent bookstore near you
Kasey Meehan, the Freedom to Read Program Director of PEN America, joins us for a conversation about the READER Act and beyond. Listen for expert insights on the threats facing the freedom to read in Texas and across the country.
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Follow us on Instagram: @readfreepod
Resources discussed in this episode:
PEN America Action Page
IN WIN FOR FREE EXPRESSION, JUDGE RULES LAWSUIT CHALLENGING ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FL BOOK BANS CAN MOVE FORWARD - PEN America
Texas FReadom Fighters
Instagram: @freadomfighters
Texas Freedom to Read Project
Instagram: @txfreedomread
Students Engaged in Advancing Texas
Instagram: @studentsengagedtx
Children's Defense Fund
Instagram: @cdftexas
ACLU of Texas
Instagram: @aclutx
Part 1 of Read Free's 3 part series on the READER Act in Texas. Listen for a brief history of the Act and learn where it now stands.
Sources:
Texas House votes to permanently stay on daylight saving time | Texas Tribune
Texas House passes CROWN Act | Texas Tribune
Bill eliminating tampon, diaper sales taxes OK’d by Texas House | Texas Tribune
HB 900 Text | Bill Track 50
Texas Library Legislation Watch | Texas Library Association
Conservative Fifth Circuit’s 2023 Rulings Test Supreme Court | Bloomberg Law
HB 900 Oral Arguments
BookPeople Resources and FAQ
Appeals Court Issues Injunction | Texas Tribune
In Major Win, Appeals Court Upholds Block on Texas Book Rating Law | Publishers Weekly
Federal judge bars Texas from enforcing book rating law | Texas Tribune
Lawsuit Press Release
The History of Book Banning
At Read Free, we believe that you must understand the past to create a better future. That's why today's episode takes you through over 2,000 years of booking banning. Listen to the end for information about what you can do in your community right now to protect the right to read.
Sources:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/history-of-book-bans-in-the-united-states
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/columns-and-blogs/soapbox/article/88195-harvey-j-graff-examines-the-history-of-book-banning.html
https://www.freedomtoread.ca/resources/bannings-and-burnings-in-history/
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
https://www.thefire.org/banned-books-week-explore-banned-and-challenged-books/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Index-Librorum-Prohibitorum
https://library.loras.edu/bannedliterature/index
https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/science/bioscience/butler-act-the-law-that-outlawed-evolution/
https://famous-trials.com/scopesmonkey/2127-home
https://thisbookisbanned.com/on-censorship/book-banning-burning-throughout-history/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/09/24/off-the-shelf/9fc7a112-70d7-4434-aa14-bc56385c9b37/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/oct/23/salman-rushdie-has-lost-sight-in-one-eye-and-use-of-one-hand-says-agent
https://flatheadbeacon.com/2022/08/29/library-sees-resignations-following-bullet-riddled-books/
What Is Book Banning and Why Should You Care?
This episode serves as an introduction to the world of book banning, the most widespread form of censorship in the United States. No matter an individual's beliefs, identity, politics, or passions book banning has an effect on everyone.
Sources:
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/986/book-banning
https://people.howstuffworks.com/book-banning.htm
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/
https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/94fee7ff93eff9609f141433e41f8ae1/krausebooklist.pdf
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/11/473822750/the-holy-bible-makes-library-associations-list-of-most-challenged-books
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/16/keller-isd-removes-books/