History of Burned Books

By Richard Smith

Books are inherently human. They capture human struggle, present human ideas, and promote human expression. As there has been division on how to handle differing and problematic facets of humanity, division in handling different and problematic media also exists.  People have turned to censorship to solve various issues, and in the case of literature, the method most often used has been book banning.

Book banning is a practice where books are removed from circulation to prevent the spread of information. Though some rationale for banning is justified, often bans are formed to erase alternative viewpoints under the guise of removing corruptive influences (‘What Is a Book Ban?’). Perhaps, if the dangers and consequences of book burning were more well-known, people may be wary of using it to control information. After all, if people can remember their past, they might avoid repeating it.

The incineration of written materials has occurred since humankind discovered symbols. One early example of book burning occurred in 213 BCE, in Ancient China. The newly consolidated nation was controlled by Ch’in Shih-huang-ti, the first August Emperor. Already having unified his country, the emperor decided to unite his people’s minds, policing political and philosophical thought. His grand councilor, Li Ssu, suggested that to discourage rebellion and control the people, it would be wise to destroy all historical records, except those aligning with the Emperor’s views (Chan 101-105).

Since written media serves as a record of history, thought, and creative expression, the destruction of literature can erase those from the cultural memory of generations. Some might call especially egregious examples cultural genocide, but caution may be valuable in utilizing such a term. However, the erasure of entire movements or cultures is a measure seldom justifiable and always destructive.

In May 2024, one of Ukraine’s largest book-printing plants was struck by a Russian missile, which killed seven people and incinerated thousands of books. The plant was situated in Kharkiv, a city near the Russian border responsible for 80% of Ukrainian book production.   Due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the demand for books rose significantly. Power cuts removed distractions like television and the internet, creating a desire for novels that allow citizens to take their minds off the carnage (Kakissis et al.).

Like the prior example, sometimes the motive for destroying books is in the service of disenfranchisement, or the disposing of alternate views to serve one dominant vision. Since literature is a compendium of all sorts of information, sometimes leaders seek to use it to promote their ideas and discredit those of others. Such actions can result not just in the promotion of one viewpoint, but sometimes can end up disregarding fundamental human rights, as seen in the example below.

In the 1800s, Americans were finally beginning to confront their hypocrisy concerning slavery. The American Anti-Slavery Society was sending abolition materials deep into the South, arriving in Charleston, South Carolina, in July 1835. Everyone who received publications returned them in droves, and that night, a vigilante group known as the Lynch Men stole them from the post office and burned them while cheered on by large crowds. The AASS continued their campaign, sending thousands of anti-slavery materials throughout the country. Reactions were hysterical, with post offices returning or destroying the abolitionist publications while mobs harassed and hung those who believed in their truth (Wyly-Jones).

It seems to be a constant in history that when those in power are confronted with information challenging their beliefs, they seek to remove it from their sight, either through isolation or destruction. Though book burning persists, it is mostly performative, as was the case when a far-right politician incinerated LGBTQIA+ books in a campaign video posted in February. The main purpose of book burning, censoring the flow of information, has been inherited by book banning, with 10,000 titles banned in the US this past school year by parents, educators, and politicians, to protect children’s minds (‘PEN America Index of School Book Bans’).

Why does this matter? Because, by removing these books, those in power are impacting the current and future freedoms of those they mean to protect. In removing access to different perspectives, they disallow individuals to make their own choices, as the information necessary to make unbiased decisions is removed. Book bans can come from any ideology, but when not tackling explicitly inappropriate materials for specific ages, like book burning, bans seem to disproportionately affect minorities (‘What Is a Book Ban?’).

So what can be done? Banning the practice is not an option, because certain age groups should not read some types of literature. However, censorship should be enacted by educators and librarians only, not by people with ulterior motives. Hearing a wide variety of voices is essential to becoming a well-rounded individual, and if certain voices are not heard, they may be forgotten. If you disagree with a book being banned, spread the word, make your voice heard, and contact your local officials.

Works Cited

Chan, Lois Mai. “The Burning of the Books in China, 213 B.C.” The Journal of Library History  (1966-1972), vol. 7, no. 2, Apr. 1972, pp. 101–08. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=f0cf6389-93a8-3c04-9326-84ac632209e8.

Kakissis, Joanna, et al. “Ukraine’s Bookstores Are Thriving, but a Top Printing Plant Took a Deadly Hit.” NPR, 18 July 2024, www.npr.org/2024/07/18/nx-s1-5041979/russia-ukraine-war-books-publishing-literature-kharkiv.

“PEN America Index of School Book Bans – 2023-2024 – PEN America.” PEN America, 29 Oct. 2024, pen.org/book-bans/pen-america-index-of-school-book-bans-2023-2024/.

“What Is a Book Ban? And More Frequently Asked Questions.” PEN America, 5 Aug. 2024, pen.org/book-bans-frequently-asked-questions/. 

Wyly-Jones, Susan. “The 1835 Anti-Abolition Meetings in the South: A New Look at the Controversy over the Abolition Postal Campaign.” Civil War History, vol. 47, no. 4, Dec. 2001, p. 289. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=f19dbe50-dbcc-3fad-9ba4-d0c007818797.

Yip, Isabel. “GOP Candidate Who Torched LGBTQ-Inclusive Books Finishes 6th in Missouri Primary.” NBC News, 7 Aug. 2024, www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/valentina-gomez-burned-lgbtq-books-loses-primary-rcna165568.