At Pierce College in Lakewood, WA, we are releasing about a dozen books that have banned and challenged in public libraries and public schools across the U.S. We're doing this in coordination with a number of events at the school.

Common reasons to ban or challenge this book include “sexually explicit,” “contains controversial issues.” Toni Morrison has been challenged a lot. Particularly The Bluest Eye, probably because it is assigned so often because it reaches students about their lives, about history that doesn't get told, and about the issues of today. In 2013 Alabama state Sen Bill Hotzclaw wanted this book pulled from all state reading lists on the grounds the content and language are "objectionable."

The fact that things that Morrison writes about happen is objectionable. Her writing about them is not.

Toni Morrison is my favorite author, the only person whose entire set of works I've read. Enjoy.