Yes, We Are Not Free Is Banned!
ISBN: 9780358131434
We Are Not Free tells the story of fourteen Japanese American teenagers whose lives are torn apart when their families are forced into internment camps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Through interconnected stories, Traci Chee explores the fear, anger, resilience, and loyalty of young people grappling with a government that treats them as the enemy.
A National Book Award finalist and Walter Dean Myers Award winner, the novel has been challenged for its depictions of wartime violence, racial themes, and profanity. Its inclusion on banned lists is particularly ironic given that the book depicts one of America’s most notorious episodes of government censorship and civil rights violations.
Why Was It Banned?
Where Was It Banned?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is We Are Not Free banned?
Yes, We Are Not Free by Traci Chee has been banned or challenged in 4 documented instances across 2 states in the United States, including Texas, Florida. It remains one of the most frequently challenged books in America.
Why was We Are Not Free banned?
We Are Not Free has been challenged and banned for the following reasons: Violence, Racial Themes, Profanity. These challenges have come from school boards, libraries, and parent groups seeking to restrict access to the book.
Where is We Are Not Free banned?
As of 2025, We Are Not Free has been banned or challenged in Texas, Florida. Notable bans include Keller ISD (2022), Clay County School District (2023).