Which U.S. states ban the most books? (infographic)

Texas is the state with the most book bans by far. It’s followed by Florida and Missouri.

Intellectual freedom is essential to a democratic society. It is the right to access information and ideas freely, without government interference. 

This year alone, between January and August, more than 1,900 library book titles have been targeted for censorship.

The team at AAA State of Play has created the infographic that reveals which US states ban the most books. The visual also shows a list of the most banned books and authors.

Data for the infographic was taken from PEN America update on book bans in the 2022-23 school year. In the fall semester of 2022, there were 1,477 instances of individual books banned, affecting 874 unique titles. 

The total number of censored books is higher. According to ALA, 2022 has marked a record high of requests to censor library books and materials, and 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship.

The most challenged books were those that deal with topics such as sexuality, gender identity, race, and racism.

Let’s go back to the infographic. The three states with the most banned books in the fall 2022 semester are:

1. Texas – 438 book bans
2. Florida – 357 book bans
3. Missouri – 315 book bans

It’s worth noting that no book challenged were reported in two states: Alaska and Hawaii.

Two books with the most bans (each one with bans in 15 states) were:

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe – a graphic novel memoir that follows Kobabe’s journey of self-discovery as a nonbinary person in a world that often doesn’t understand gender identity or sexuality.

Flamer by Mike Curato – a graphic novel about a young boy who struggles to come to terms with his sexuality in a small town where homophobia is rampant.

The most banned authors in the fall 2022 semester across the US were: Ellen Hopkins, Sarah J. Maas, and Elana K. Arnold.

Click on the infographic to see it in full resolution. Make sure to visit the AAA State of Play blog post for more details.

Via: Imgur

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