Next week is Banned Books Week across the country, and here in North Dakota the ACLU will be hosting a number of stops across the state.
They will be stopping in Fargo, Jamestown, Bismarck, Minot and Grand Forks, and joining them will be journalist and author Nico Lang. Lang will be on hand to discuss their latest book, “American Teenager: How Trans Kids are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era.”
ACLU of North Dakota’s Cody Schuler says Lang’s book is not currently banned, but is about a topic that is usually targeted under many efforts to ban books. Governor Kelly Armstrong vetoed legislation earlier this year that would have focused on limiting library content, and open up libraries to lawsuits. Schuler says next week’s events help citizens understand the importance of literature.
"At the end of the day, it is really important for citizens to be engaged. It is our right to read and obtain information; First Amendment protection is really important for citizens to defend. And so I would say that coming out to these events this coming week, and reaching out to the ACLU - we are looking to help citizens understand how to approach and deal with censorship within their communities."
Banned Book Week events will be taking place at:
FARGO- 7pm, Monday, October 6 at Atomic Coffee, 222 Broadway N #100
JAMESTOWN- 12pm Tuesday, October 7 at University of Jamestown's Raugust Library, 6070 College Lane
BISMARCK- 7pm, Tuesday, October 7 at Lucky's 13 Pub, 915 3rd St and 12pm Wednesday, October 8 at Bismarck State College's Skogen Hall, 1400 Schafer St
MINOT- 7pm, Wednesday, October 8 at Main Street Books, 8 Main St S
GRAND FORKS- 6pm, Thursday, October 9 at Grand Forks Public Library, 21120 Library Circle