With several awards and nominations to her name, writer, director, and producer Ava DuVernay has been selected as honorary chair for Banned Books Week 2024, which takes place September 22 – 28.
We are proud to announce our honorary chair, award-winning filmmaker & advocate AVA DUVERNAY! She is joined by youth honorary chair Julia Garnett. https://t.co/H6miy7Ud6n w/@ARRAYNow pic.twitter.com/t0dZLRVdeb
— Banned Books Week (@BannedBooksWeek) September 5, 2024
“I believe that censorship is the enemy of freedom,” said DuVernay. “By banning books, we deny ourselves the opportunity to learn from the past and to envision a braver future. Books have the power to open minds and build bridges. This is why certain forces do not want the masses to engage with books. They fear progress and growth in new, bold directions. For this reason, Banned Books Week is vitally important. It is a celebration of our right to access varied voices and to engage with ideas that challenge and champion us. I am honored to be selected as honorary chair of Banned Book Week for this election year, and I stand with my fellow readers, fellow writers and fellow advocates around the world who refuse to let voices be silenced.”
DuVernay is the groundbreaking writer, director, and producer behind acclaimed films and television projects such as Selma, 13th, Queen Sugar, and When They See Us. She is an Academy Award nominee and winner of Emmy, BAFTA, NAACP, GLAAD, Critics Choice, and Peabody Awards.
A staunch advocate for education and free expression, DuVernay directed two films inspired by frequently banned books: A Wrinkle in Time, based on the book by Madeleine L’Engle; and Origin, which centers on the life of Isabel Wilkerson, the author of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.
In an interview with The New Yorker, DuVernay said, “The idea that we would destroy history, ideas, imagination is unfathomable.”
View this post on Instagram
“Ava DuVernay’s passion for storytelling, visibility, and representation continues to move our culture forward, making her an outstanding choice for Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “GLAAD honored Ava with our Excellence in Media Award in 2018 for her dedication to elevating diverse stories that expand understanding and accelerate LGBTQ acceptance. Ava’s leadership during Banned Books Week will shine a light on censorship and silencing, pointing us toward a future where all voices and stories are seen, heard and celebrated.”
Joining DuVernay will be Youth Honorary Chair Julia Garnett, a student activist who formed a high school free speech club to fight book bans in her home state of Tennessee. Garnett was honored for her advocacy for the freedom to read by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden during a ceremony at the White House. Garnett is also a leader in the National Coalition Against Censorship’s Student Advocates for Speech program, educating other students about advocacy.
🗣️🔥📚 WATCH: “Book bans have never been the answer — if you truly care about protecting children, how could you take this away?”
This powerful speech from a SUMNER COUNTY high schooler helped convince the board to keep @StephenChbosky’s “Perks Of Being A Wallflower” (6-4) pic.twitter.com/L7ccadq7nD
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) July 29, 2023
DuVernay and Garnett will lead virtual programs during Banned Books Week. Details on their events will be shared on the BannedBooksWeek.org as they are confirmed.
Banned Books Week 2024 follows multiple record-breaking years of censorship in libraries and schools. Attempts to censor books surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching the highest level ever tracked by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. OIF documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship in 2023, largely due to organized campaigns that targeted multiple titles at a time. Nearly half of censorship attempts, 47%, are leveraged against LGBTQ titles and books about people of color. Initial data for censorship attempts in 2024 will be released September 23 during Banned Books Week.
Since it was founded in 1982, Banned Books Week has drawn attention to attempts to remove books and other materials from libraries, schools, and bookstores. The theme for Banned Books Week 2024 is “Freed Between the Lines,” an observance of the freedom we find in the pages of books and the need to defend that freedom from censorship.
A day of action will be observed September 28 — Let Freedom Read Day — which will focus on voting, from registering to vote and understanding what’s on the ballot to making sure communities are informed about their rights. Everyone is encouraged to do at least one thing on September 28 to fight censorship. For information about ways to participate and resources, visit bit.ly/LetFreedomReadDay.
Visit BannedBooksWeek.org for information about events, ways to participate, and promotional materials. Follow Banned Books Week on social media (@BannedBooksWeek on X and Facebook, @banned_books_week on Instagram) for the latest updates.