This is reposted from American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL) which provides critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children’s and young adult books. AICL was established in 2006 by Dr. Debbie Reese of Nambé Pueblo. Dr. Jean Mendoza joined AICL as a co-editor in 2016.

The year is 2023. 

People continue to take from Native peoples and Native Nations. It started with our lands and our children. It included efforts to destroy our nationhood and cultures by making it illegal for us to speak our languages and tell our stories and practice our religions. 

We persevered. 

In recent years more and more of us are being published. Through books, we are using our voices, telling our stories to our children and yours, too, in pre-school and kindergarten story times and in high school classrooms. 

But now, our books–our voices–are being removed from libraries and classrooms. 

Continue reading “Banning of Native Voices/Books” →