Banned Books Week at the DC Public Library

Starting October 1-7, 2023 during the national Banned Books Week initiative and continuing throughout the month of October, the DC Public Library offers a variety of special programs and activities that celebrate the public library’s role as a space of intellectual and creative freedom. The theme of this year’s Banned Books Week is Freedom is Not Guaranteed a phrase taken from a large-scale billboard artwork by renowned artist Xaviera Simmons displayed on the 9th and G corner of the MLK Library this fall. Simmons’ work pushes us to consider the true meaning of freedom and repair in a country where those freedoms continue to be taken away.

This truth is shown by the alarming increase in book challenges and bans across the United States. In 2022, there was a record increase in challenges to library materials, particularly those related to LGBTQIA+ subjects or concerning communities of color. 2,571 unique titles were targeted, reflecting a 38% rise from the previous year. This rise in censorship attempts threatens intellectual freedom and diversity of thought.

The DC Public Library’s celebration of Banned Books Week is made possible in part by the generous support of the DC Public Library Foundation.

Discover Events in DowntownDC:

• Freedom is Not Guaranteed – Monday, October 2
• Author Talk with Trung Le Nguyen – Wednesday, October 4
• Battle of the Banned – Friday, October 6

Uncensored Scavenger Hunt

Starting Monday, Oct. 2, hundreds of books by banned authors will be hidden at various locations around the city. The theme for this year’s scavenger hunt, sponsored by the DC Public Library Foundation is “Freedom is Not Guaranteed,”  featuring literature authored by some of America’s leading champions in the fight to amplify diverse voices and reckon with historical injustice.

Each book will have a special edition cover and spine artwork by local designer Dian Holton featuring a quote from the author and the motif of a snake in the grass–a quiet, unseen threat that could strike at any time: a powerful metaphor for censorship, incidents of which have been rising precipitously around the nation in recent years. Hunters who collect all six books will discover a composite design on the spines.

This year’s scavenger hunt features books by authors whose books have been challenged or censored–in some cases, multiple times. Hundreds of copies of six books will be hidden around the District at libraries, coffee shops, museums, bookstores and bars. The titles include “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M Johnson, “How the Word is Passed” by Clint Smith, “With The Fire on High” by Elizabeth Acevedo, “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein, “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker, and “A Snake Falls to Earth” by Darcie Little Badger.

1. Location clues will be announced every day from Oct. 2 – 31. You can see the clues on this page and follow along on our social media platforms using #UncensoredDC. Daily clues will be posted to:
   • Instagram Stories @dcpubliclibrary
   • Twitter @dcpl
   • and Facebook Stories @dclibrary
2. Win awesome prizes just for finding books! In addition to keeping the discovered books, participants can win prizes such as a Phillips Collection membership, gift certificates to local restaurants, free tickets to DC Public Library Foundation’s Battle of the Banned, and so much more. All you have to do is a post a photo of the discovered book to social media using #UncensoredDC.

Learn more here.