Montgomery County in Texas has reversed its decision to categorize Colonization and the Wampanoag Story, a children's history book about the Native American experience, as fiction in local libraries. This move came after strong backlash from major publishers, literary freedom advocates, and community members.
The initial decision to reclassify the book was made by a citizen review committee, established by the county, which excluded librarians from its deliberations and held its meetings in secret. The changes were driven by a conservative Christian group, sparking outrage both locally and nationally.
At a recent county meeting, local resident Teresa Kenney, founder of Village Books, expressed the community's anger. “The recent decision by commissioner-appointed committee members has outraged not just our community, but the country as a whole,” she said, emphasizing that it was not the committee’s role to determine which parts of history are factual or fictional.
Texas is one of the leading states in the U.S. for banning books, with over 1,500 titles removed from public libraries between 2021 and 2023, according to PEN America. Florida leads the nation, having banned over 5,100 books.
Debbie Reese, founder of American Indians in Children’s Literature, criticized the reclassification, stating, "To claim this book is fiction dismisses our perspective and history." She emphasized the importance of books like Colonization and the Wampanoag Story for both Native and non-Native children, as they provide a more informed understanding of history.
The decision to reclassify the book was made public in mid-October following open records requests by free speech groups, which revealed that the history book had been moved to the fiction section.
One of the key figures behind the push to reclassify books, Michele Nuckolls, a mother who homeschools her children, supported the new review process. Nuckolls, who co-founded the conservative group "Two Moms and Some Books," praised the new policy, describing it as a success for community values.
The group has been advocating for books related to topics like sexuality and transgender identity to be moved to more restricted sections of the library, while pushing for more Christian-themed books to be included.
In response to the controversy, Montgomery County commissioners have put a "stay" on all decisions made by the citizen review committee. Additionally, they announced plans to form a new committee, composed of county staff members and guided by the county attorney, to review library rules, including those related to the citizen review process.
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