St. Louis groups launch 'banned book program' to distribute challenged books

Two local organizations are partnering to distribute free copies of controversial books in response to the recent increase in attempts to remove titles from school libraries.

In Purpose Educational Services and the St. Louis bookstore EyeSeeMe will deliver free copies of “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morisson to Missourians who request it.

The organizations raised more than $3,000 in the first few hours after launching the book program, said Heather Fleming, founder of In Purpose Educational Services.

“If you look at most of the books that they are trying to ban, they are the stories of people from historically marginalized groups,” said Fleming. “We have to grapple with some of the things that have happened in our society. Number one, to make sure that they don't happen again. But then number two, because we need to learn how to live with one another.”

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/education/2022-01-28/local-organizations-launch-banned-book-program-to-distribute-challenged-books