Knox County removes 'Roots' from libraries

Knox County Schools in Tennessee pulled Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel *Roots: The Saga of an American Family* from all school libraries this week after a district review committee determined parts of the book violated the state's age-appropriate materials law. The decision came on May 14, when the committee voted 4-1 to remove the book following complaints about graphic depictions of slavery, including rape, whippings, and sexual assault. District officials notified parents via email on May 15 and added *Roots* to the county's list of removed books, now totaling 373 titles since the policy's start in 2022. Tennessee's 2022 Age-Appropriate Materials Act (HB 888) requires school districts to review library books for "manifestly inappropriate" content involving sex, violence, or obscenity, with input from parents and librarians. Violations can lead to removal, and districts must post challenge results online. Knox County's review summary cited specific passages, such as descriptions of Kunta Kinte's capture and abuse, as crossing legal lines for K-12 students. (district review document). The sole dissenting vote came from committee member Ashley Hodges, a parent, who argued *Roots* holds vital historical value despite its disturbing content. Superintendent Kelly Kirtley defended the process in a statement, saying, "We take our responsibility to ensure materials are age-appropriate seriously," and emphasized that removals follow state law without targeting viewpoints. *Roots*, published in 1976, traces Haley’s ancestor Kunta Kinte from 18th-century West Africa through American enslavement, selling 6 million copies in its first year and inspiring a 1977 miniseries viewed by 130 million Americans. It won the 1977 Pulitzer for distinguished fiction and remains a cornerstone of African American literature, though critics have questioned some historical claims since DNA tests in 2003 found no direct Gambia link. This marks the latest in Tennessee's wave of school book challenges: the state removed over 2,000 titles across districts in 2023-24, with Knox County leading East Tennessee at 373. Critics like the American Library Association call it part of a national trend targeting books on race, gender, and history—*Roots* joins *To Kill a Mockingbird* and *The Color Purple* on Knox's list. Defenders, including state Rep. John Gillespie (R-Knoxville), author of HB 888, say it's about protecting kids from explicit material, not censorship. Parents can still challenge the decision through Knox County's formal process, with appeals due within 10 days to the district's instructional supervisor. The full list of removed books is public at the district site, updated weekly as of May 16.