A Texas county's decision to reclassify a historical account of Indigenous colonization as fiction has sparked outrage among anti-censorship advocates, book publisher Penguin Random House and the wider literary community.
The controversy centers around Montgomery County. A citizens review panel in the Houston suburb recently voted to place Linda Coombs' book, "Colonization, and the Wampanoag Story," in the fiction section of children's libraries.
The move has been widely criticized as an attempt to dismiss Indigenous perspectives on historical events.
The book, published in September 2023, is part of Penguin Random House's "Race to the Truth" series, which aims to present historical narratives from marginalized viewpoints. Other titles in the series include "Slavery and the African American Story" by Patricia Williams Dockery and "This Land" by Ashley Fairbanks.
Debbie Reese, founder of American Indians in Children's Literature, voiced her dismay at the county's decision. "To claim this book is fiction dismisses our perspective and history," Reese said. "Books like 'Colonization and the Wampanoag Story' are crucial for Native kids because they affirm our existence today. They're also essential for non-Native kids to learn a more accurate version of history."
Despite the reclassification in Montgomery County, the book remains listed as nonfiction in other prominent libraries, including the Houston Public Library and the Library of Congress according to the Guardian.
PEN America, an advocacy group supporting free expression in literature, also recognizes "Colonization and the Wampanoag Story" as a factual account of historical events.
"The restriction of the children's book and subsequent reclassification is a threat to the freedom to read and essentially eliminates the opportunity for a young reader to discover and learn the true story of the discovery of the Americas through an Indigenous perspective," said Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America's Freedom to Read Program.
The Texas Freedom to Read Project has launched a petition demanding that the Montgomery County Memorial Public Library restore the book to its nonfiction collection. The petition has already gathered over 34,000 signatures, reflecting widespread support for maintaining historical accuracy in educational resources.
The controversy in Montgomery County is part of a larger national trend of book challenges and bans, often led by conservative groups. According to PEN America, Texas ranks second in the U.S. for book bans, with 1,567 titles removed from shelves between July 2021 and December 2023. Florida leads the nation, with over 5,000 titles banned in the same period.
