George M. Johnson: America Banned My Book, But I Refuse To Stay Silent

To date, my book All Boys Aren’t Blue is banned in 29 school districts, making it the second-most banned book in the United States. I am hyper aware of the world that I live in and where I come from, and I know the content of my book, so prior to it being released, I knew that it would make waves in the publishing world — in ways that wouldn’t always be positive. Seeing what books had previously been flagged, like Dear Martin or The Hate U Give, and knowing that my book dealt with similar topics of race and queerness, I knew that it was going to be a problem in school systems. But, I could have never anticipated the response would ever look like this.

We are seeing a shift happening in real time. Young people in the U.S. are beginning to see the truth of the country they live in. Subsequently, the books in their classrooms and libraries are starting to mirror those same truths. But now, that truth is under attack. In the last midterm election, 63% of the 18-29 voter block voted Democrat, as opposed to 35% Republican. And yet, it’s Republicans who are trying to decide their future. During the debacle that was the Speaker of the House nomination last month, we watched as those in power invoked the name of Thomas Jefferson — a man who was a slave owner — in the presence of their Black colleagues and peers, waxing nostalgic of a so-called better time. That kind of bizarre juxtaposition of what history, and “truth,” is deemed appropriate has become a reality for teens and young adults who are pushing back and saying, This doesn’t work for us.

What does it really mean to ban a book? It’s almost always done under the guise of protecting some sort of presupposed notion of children’s innocence or purity; framing the book in question as a moral offense or a direct threat to children. On January 12th, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis rejected a proposed AP Black History course, citing that the course would indoctrinate students with a “political agenda.” But even more specifically, he mentioned that the course would deal with queer theory and studies, further bolstering his decision to block it. Listen to what is being said here: the people who hold power in this country, our lawmakers, do not want our young people to learn their history. And yes, it is theirs. Let’s also be very clear; you cannot begin to have the conversation about Black history without talking about the impact of Black, queer people. You can label these guidelines as “pro-Christian” or come up with falsified justifications as to why courses like these aren’t necessary, but we can see through the facade. These are blatantly misogynist, anti-woman, anti-Black, anti-LGBT policies that are making their way into our education system. That should terrify us all. 

The demographics of this country are changing rapidly; we have more people identifying as queer, less people identifying as white, and that creates the collision of ideologies that we’re seeing unfold in spaces across our country. We are seeing a radical shift and a scramble from the folks in power who want to keep America rooted in the white supremacy it was founded on. 

In many ways, we’ve been here before. Some people believe that visibility and representation equals safety. And while it can, I also know that it then makes some people targets. So when we see the rise in visibility and representation, we also see the rise of hate. How do we combat that? The books we write provide the truth from the perspective of people who actually live that truth. I was educated with textbooks that were written by white people. They hid the most heinous parts of what slavery looked like. The brutality of what Jim Crow looked like. Both my parents grew up before Jim Crow ended. I have living people in my life who know intimately what that experience was like, from the north to the south. This is our reality. This is not history that is far removed. It is still with us. And the powers that be have done a phenomenal job at making that time seem far away. But our books and the stories we tell are showing young people that we are so much closer to that history — that truth —- than we think. And most of this stuff is replicating itself now. History is repeating and contorting and manifesting itself in different ways in our current world. We owe it to the next generations to give them the tools they need to build a better, more robust, truthful world. Books are those tools. 

I want young people to know that they don’t have to live in the same world that I did. I had to read about characters that didn't look like me, and was made to empathize with people and experiences that were not only unlike mine but also oppressed mine. But with our books, young adults now have a chance to learn about who is sitting beside them, how this world actually operates, and to know the real history of this country. This knowledge will help them make better, more informed decisions about how they want to help the country and how they can be advocates for one another in the future. 

To all the Black and LGBTQ young people, I want y’all to know that there are people like myself who are not going to give up on you. We will keep fighting for you and fighting against the attempts to block you from having the same rights and dignities that are afforded to your heterosexual classmates and friends. I know how brilliant you all are and I know you see the laws being drafted against you and it may make you want to retreat back into a place of hiding. Do what you need to do for your own immediate safety, but please know that there are so many people, like myself, who are pushing back in the ways we can. It is overwhelming, even for me. Some days it can feel like so much. And I’m just one person. But my commitment to you is to continue to write these stories so that you will always know you exist in this world. Nobody is going to deny our storytelling. 

Nobody is going to deny you.

As told to Gloria Alamrew. This interview has been condensed from its original transcription. 

ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE Paperback Edition is coming January 2024. George’s second book, FLAMBOYANCE, is expected May 2024.