US libraries face ‘unprecedented’ efforts to ban books on race and gender themes

Challenges from conservative parent groups and others targeted 1,651 different titles, the American Library Association said

Books for children and young adults containing themes of race, gender and sexual identity received an unprecedented" number of challenges last year, the American Library Association (ALA) has said, reflecting a growing national trend of attempted censorship.

The challenges came from conservative parent groups and others. In some cases, the group says, librarians and elected officials were threatened with violence by members of the Proud Boys and armed activists at school board and library board meetings.