Should Richard Wright's Black Boy Be Banned?

Imagine the feeling of living in a Jim Crow south after the Civil War. In Richard Wright’s autobiography “Black Boy”, he illustrates his life as he tries to understand the segregated and the white dictated world he lives in. Throughout the story he asks questions to others and himself to attempt at understanding the world. Since the book is an autobiography, it allows the reader to take a front row seat with the story. “Black Boy” is one of the many books that were challenged for a myriad of reasons. Those reasons ranging from political to religious. Although Richard Wright’s “Black Boy” was accused of multiple offenses, some teachers and students think the book still holds value.
As the book was published and the general public began to read …show more content…
“At a Duval County School Board meeting he (Reverend Dale Shaw) complained of profanity in “Black Boy” and said it may cause hard feelings among students of different races.”(Black 263). What he may not have understood was that the profanity that was used in the story wasn’t used just to just profanity but to create a connection with the reader. “Black Boy” was also challenged in Howell Michigan High School because of its strong sexual content. As they challenged the book they didn’t pay any attention to the story that the book was trying to tell but to the minor things that were necessary for the book to flow. Additionally “Black Boy” was deemed to potentially be immorally dangerous for school curriculum. If the book is taken away from the school curriculum it would be losing a very important piece of both literature and history. Even with the many challenges it brings the story to new people wondering why it would need to be banned at …show more content…
“The local teachers union did file a formal grievance against the board, alleging a violation of the provisions of academic freedom in the union contract” (Nicholas48). This local teachers union paved the way for others to fight against the banning of the book. Five students claimed that the school board had violated and infringed upon their constitutional rights while the school boar said they where protecting their moral and social tastes. By making their voices heard the students were able to attempt to protect their own rights even in the face of the strong opposition. Richard Wrights widow wrote to the Florida Union Times sating that if we took something out of the educational system, which had been taught for years that it would be a tragedy (Black263). This goes to show how important the book was to Richard Wright to himself and also that one of his loved ones felt so much for the book and the message that it sends. Even as more reasons on banning the book are made even more reasons on why it should be protected will come out in the