In this report, we’ll take a detailed look into sources of book banning in the US and how their frequency and importance changed over the years. We compiled it using ALA’s annual reports on book-banning challenges since 1990.
Parents initiating book bans
Historically, most of the book-banning efforts in the US were initiated by students’ parents. Over 37% of all challenges targeting books in the US since 1990 were coming from parents:
In 2022, parents initiated 381 book-banning challenges in the US, 34.15% more compared to 2021. 2022 was a record year in terms of parent book challenges.
Prior to 2021, there was an overall declining trend in the number of parental book challenges in the US, with only 68 challenges registered in 2019 and 78 in 2020.
However, during the 90s, there were around 363 recorded book-banning challenges occurring during the year, on average.
During the 1st decade of the 21st century, parents initiated around 262 book challenges per year, on average.
Year
Parent challenges
Change
2022
381
34.15%
2021
284
264.10%
2020
78
14.71%
2019
68
-38.74%
2018
111
-1.77%
2017
113
-16.91%
2016
136
23.64%
2015
110
0.92%
2014
109
-58.40%
2000-2009 annual average
262
-27.82%
1990-1999 annual average
363
Parents initiated 30% of all book-banning efforts registered during 2022, which is 23.08% less compared to 2021.
Around 50.00% of all book bans in 2020 were initiated by students’ parents, the most over the last 22 years.
During 2019, only 18.00% of initiated bans were started by parents, the lowest figure over the last 32 years.
However, during the 90s, parents were responsible for 57.66% of all recorded book challenges in the US.
Parents have initiated over 37% of all book-banning challenges in the US since 1990.
Year
Share of parent challenges in total
Change
2022
30.00%
-23.08%
2021
39.00%
-22.00%
2020
50.00%
177.78%
2019
18.00%
-43.75%
2018
32.00%
0.00%
2017
32.00%
-23.81%
2016
42.00%
5.00%
2015
40.00%
14.29%
2014
35.00%
-27.85%
2000-2009 annual average
48.51%
-15.87%
1990-1999 annual average
57.66%
Book bans initiated by school boards
School boards across the US initiated 190 book-banning challenges in 2022, a 45.04% increase over 2021 and the most over the past 32 years.
Covid impacted the number of school board challenges in 2020 as there were only 17 registered cases, the least since this statistic is tracked.
The number of school board banning initiatives over the last 2 years is bigger than 7 previous years combined.
From 2000 to 2009, school boards initiated 62 book challenges per year, on average.
During the 90s, this figure was as high as 79 challenges per year, the highest rate aside from 2021 and 2022.
Year
School board challenges
Change
2022
190
45.04%
2021
131
670.59%
2020
17
-65.31%
2019
49
8.89%
2018
45
-10.00%
2017
50
56.25%
2016
32
14.29%
2015
28
27.27%
2014
22
-64.52%
2000-2009 annual average
62
-21.52%
1990-1999 annual average
79
School boards were responsible for 15% of all book-banning efforts registered in 2022, a drop from 18% in 2021.
During this period, school board ban initiatives were the third most frequent source of book banning in the US.
Since 1990, 13.27% of all banning challenges were registered in US school boards.
Year
Share of school board challenges
Change
2022
15.00%
-16.67%
2021
18.00%
63.64%
2020
11.00%
-15.38%
2019
13.00%
0.00%
2018
13.00%
-7.14%
2017
14.00%
40.00%
2016
10.00%
0.00%
2015
10.00%
42.86%
2014
7.00%
-38.93%
2000-2009 annual average
11.46%
-8.59%
1990-1999 annual average
12.54%
Challenges initiated by library patrons
After students’ parents, library patrons are the group that initiates the most book bans in the US.
Library patrons initiated 355 book-banning challenges in 2022 in the US, an increase from 175 initiatives in 2021.
During 2021 and 2022, there have been more patron-initiated challenges than in the previous 5 years combined.
With the exception of pandemic-affected 2020, patrons initiated at least 100 book challenges in each of the past 7 years.
From 2000 to 2009, library patrons initiated only 52 bans per year, on average.
During the 90, this average was as high as 85 challenges per year.
Year
Patrons
Change
2022
355
102.86%
2021
175
464.52%
2020
31
-81.76%
2019
170
47.83%
2018
115
-22.82%
2017
149
49.00%
2016
100
35.14%
2015
74
2.78%
2014
72
38.46%
2000-2009 annual average
52
-38.82%
1990-1999 annual average
85
Library patrons accounted for 28% of all book bans during 2022, an increase from 24% in 2021.
During 2019, partons initiated over 45% of all banning challenges in the US, the most in recorded history.
The share of patron-initiated challenges was the lowest during the first decade of the 21st century, at 13.58% on average per year.
During the 90s, 25.93% of all banning challenges came from library patrons.
Year
Patrons
Change
2022
28.00%
16.67%
2021
24.00%
20.00%
2020
20.00%
-55.56%
2019
45.00%
36.36%
2018
33.00%
-21.43%
2017
42.00%
35.48%
2016
31.00%
14.81%
2015
27.00%
17.39%
2014
23.00%
140.83%
2000-2009 annual average
9.55%
-29.67%
1990-1999 annual average
13.58%
Bans initiated by political and religious groups
There are numerous groups and movements formed to enforce and oppose book banning in the US. However, the most impactful ones come from the political and religious spheres – these groups are responsible for almost 13% of all book-banning efforts in the US since 1990.
In 2022, 216 challenges initiated to ban books in the US came from various political and religious groups, a whopping 195% increase over 73 initiated challenges in 2021.
During the pandemic, only 14 bans were initiated by these groups in 2020, meaning that the 2021 increase was as high as 421%.
In 2016, only 6 banning challenges were initiated by political and religious groups, the least since this statistic is tracked.
From 2000 to 2009, around 21 bans were initiated by these groups every year, on average.
During the 90s, there were 61 of these challenges every year, on average.
Year
Political and religious groups
Change
2022
216
195.89%
2021
73
421.43%
2020
14
-68.89%
2019
45
114.29%
2018
21
90.91%
2017
11
83.33%
2016
6
-64.71%
2015
17
6.25%
2014
16
-23.81%
2000-2009 annual average
21
-65.57%
1990-1999 annual average
61
Book-banning initiatives coming from political and religious groups accounted for 17% of all banning efforts in the US in 2022, the most since this record is tracked and an increase from 10% in 2021.
With the exception of pandemic-affected 2020, these groups have been accounting for over 10% of all banning challenges since 2019.
During 2016 and 2017, banning efforts from the political and religious spheres accounted for only 2% and 3% of all challenges, respectively.
Overall, since 1990, political & religious groups have been responsible for 12.93% of all book-banning efforts in the US, trailing only parents, library patrons, and school boards.
