Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
54 jurisdictions · Banned 2020-2025 · Published
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You is a 2020 young adult adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning, written with Jason Reynolds, banned or restricted in 54+ U.S. jurisdictions for its history of racist ideas in America.
Why it was banned
The book has been banned under state laws against "divisive content" and "critical race theory," with cited reasoning often consisting of single passages quoted out of context. Florida and Texas have removed it from multiple districts. Both authors have responded publicly by holding banned-book events in the same districts that removed their work.
Cited reasons
- divisive content claim
- critical race theory framing
Primary states
Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee
Why it matters
Stamped is the most accessible book ever written for young readers on the four-hundred-year history of racist ideas in America. It is structured as a remix by Jason Reynolds of Kendi's National Book Award-winning adult history. Removing it from schools removes a tool specifically designed to help young people understand where the ideas they encounter daily came from.
Themes
- history of racism
- antiracism
- young adult nonfiction
Awards
- Coretta Scott King Author Honor
Where to buy
The Ledger recommends Black-owned booksellers. Each stocks this title or can order it.
- MahoganyBooksNational Harbor, Maryland · Founded
Independent bookstore specializing in books written for, by, and about people of the African diaspora.
- Marcus BooksOakland, California · Founded
The oldest independent Black-owned bookstore in the United States, named for political activist Marcus Garvey.
- Semicolon Bookstore and GalleryChicago, Illinois · Founded
Chicago's only Black woman-owned independent bookstore, with a mission to raise literacy rates among Chicago Public School students.
- Loyalty BookstoreWashington, D.C. · Founded
Black, queer, and woman-owned bookstore with locations in Washington, D.C. and Silver Spring, Maryland.
The Ledger may earn commission on affiliate links. All commissions route to Black-owned booksellers.
Related banned books
Books in the catalog that share themes with this one.
Documented by The Ledger. A record of what Black America built and what was taken.
Book cover via Open Library. Editorial use under fair use.