In a stunning reversal, a Texas county has backtracked on its decision to classify a children’s book about Indigenous history as fiction. The move to re-categorize “Colonization and the Wampanoag Story” in local libraries near Houston had sparked widespread outrage from publishers, literary freedom advocates, and members of the community.
Controversy Erupts Over Book Classification
The initial choice to place the Native American history book in the fiction section drew sharp criticism. Teresa Kenney, founder of the local Village Books store, voiced the sentiments of many at a recent county leaders’ meeting:
The recent decision by commissioner-appointed committee members has outraged not just our community, but the country as a whole.
Teresa Kenney, Village Books founder
According to insiders, the reclassification stemmed from changes pushed by a conservative Christian group. These included forming a citizen review committee, making the committee’s meetings confidential, and removing librarians from the decision-making process.
Texas Leads in Book Bans
The Lone Star State is no stranger to book controversies. From 2021 to 2023, Texas ranked second nationally in banning books, removing over 1,500 titles from circulation. Only Florida exceeded this number, with 5,100 bans.
Debbie Reese, founder of American Indians in Children’s Literature, emphasized the importance of Indigenous representation:
To claim this book is fiction dismisses our perspective and history. Books like “Colonization and the Wampanoag Story” are important to Native kids because they affirm our existence as Native people in the present day.
Debbie Reese, American Indians in Children’s Literature founder
Citizen Review Committee Under Scrutiny
The citizen review committee responsible for the original decision has come under fire. Michele Nuckolls, a homeschool mother and co-founder of the conservative Christian group Two Moms and Some Books, praised the committee’s actions:
The new policy is working. Citizens act as a jury appointed by each of you [the commissioners] to review the books and review placement based on community values.
Michele Nuckolls, Two Moms and Some Books co-founder
However, critics argue the committee overstepped its authority. “Nowhere in the approved policy is it under the committee’s purview to determine whose history is fact or fiction,” Kenney pointed out.
County Takes Action, But Concerns Linger
In response to the backlash, Montgomery County officials have placed a “stay” on all of the citizens review committee’s decisions. They also plan to create a new committee, likely comprised of county staff and advised by the county attorney, to reevaluate library rules and procedures.
While this may signal a step in the right direction, concerns about censorship and book access remain high in Texas and across the nation. As Reese argued, “This country is better off if we all know history in a more informed way.” The battle over which books belong on library shelves – and how they are classified – is far from over.
