Book censorship in the United States

Book censorship in the United States has occurred since European settlement of New England, though censorship increased in volume and intensity in the 20th and 21st centuries, especially in the 2020s.

The first known instance of book censorship in what is now the United States took place in the 1630s in modern-day Massachusetts, when Puritans sought to outlaw New English Canaan. While specific titles caused bouts of book censorship, with Uncle Tom's Cabin frequently cited as the first book subject to a national ban, censorship of reading materials and their distribution remained sporadic in the United States until the Comstock Laws in 1873. In the early 20th century, book censorship became a more common practice and subject of public debate.

Throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries, there have been waves of attempts at widespread book censorship in the US. Beginning in the 2020s, the country has seen a dramatic increase of attempted and successful censorship, with a 63% rise in reported cases between 2022 and 2023. In recent years, about three-fourths of books subject to censorship in the US are for children and teenagers. In the 21st century, targets of censorship may be print, electronic, or audiobooks, or a curriculum that includes such sources. Targeted texts may be held by a business such as a bookstore; a library, either a public library or one located in a school or university; or the school or university as a whole. The entity requesting censorship may be an organization, private individual, or government official.

In the debate over book censorship in the United States, "freedom to read" proponents cite traditions and legal precedent building upon the Constitution of the United States, particularly the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments. Over the years, much of the justification for censorship has centered on definitions of obscenity and questions about the perceived moral qualities of various books' content. Several professional organizations advocate against book censorship, including the American Library Association (ALA), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and the American Booksellers Association. Organizations that advocate for removing books from access include Moms for Liberty, No Left Turn for Education, and MassResistance.