An East Texas county is under criticism after an appointed review board moved a book about Native American history to the fiction shelves of its public libraries.
In September, a Montgomery County resident “challenged” the book
Colonization and the Wampanoag Story
by Native American historian Linda Coombs, according to records
shared by the Texas Freedom to Read Project
. That challenge arose after the county initiated a review children’s books in its libraries under pressure from right-wing activists.
The decision to move the book came from a county commissioner-appointed “citizens review committee” that included no input from librarians as it reviewed the collections, according to the Freedom To Read Project.
Progressive group the National Campaign for Justice
demanding that Montgomery County return the book to the nonfiction section. That petition has 31,200 signatures as of press time.
Texas Freedom to Read Project, a nonprofit that fights the state’s book-banning crusades, also is encouraging people to email Montgomery County commissioners to return the book.