Book Burning in the 20th Century
There are religious, political, and cultural reasons for burning books. Below are examples of such destruction, along with a timeline of notorious novels and authors whose works were met by flame.
Religious Reasons
"Burning Pastor Russell's Books: An Outbreak of Fifteenth Century Intolerance in the Enlightened City of Tampa"
According to this newspaper article from the Ocala Evening Star, religious circles in the city of Tampa organized a book burning of certain religious works, namely those of Pastor Russell. Opposers deemed these works inappropriate for the community as they contained controversial principles related to "Russellite doctrine." Public protest prevented the public burning, however the article alleges many books were burned in private.
Citation: The Ocala evening star. (Ocala, Fla.), 20 March 1913. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84027621/1913-03-20/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1900&index=15&rows=20&words=book+books+burn+burned+burning&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=%22book+burning%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
Social Custom
"High School Grads Burn Books at Farewell Social Held at School"
The burning of textbooks by students is an ancient tradition. In American society, a common ritual of college and high school students is to burn the textbooks used in their final semester. Conversely, students also burn textbooks as an act of rebellion against controversial material being used in higher education texts (Baez, 2004).
This newspaper article from the El Paso Herald highlights the community's ritual of seniors burning their most despised textbooks after the final examinations took place. This scheduled book burning and ceremony took place at the local high school.
Citation: El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.), 22 May 1913. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88084272/1913-05-22/ed-1/seq-7/#date1=1900&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=book+books+burning&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=8&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=%22book+burning%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2
Moral Reason
"A Good Example"
The Evening Times newspaper article from Grand Forks, North Dakota praised a women’s club of San Francisco for burning and destroying books that were deemed "immoral." The article commends these "refined" women for being "awakened to the knowledge that by admitting to their library and encouraging the reading and discussion of certain books they have been sowing bad seed from which rank weeds grow" and for subsequently burning the offensive materials.
Citation: The evening times. (Grand Forks, N.D.), 17 Sept. 1913. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042373/1913-09-17/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1900&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=book+burn+burning&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=13&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=%22book+burning%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=3
Celebratory Cause
"Unique Celebration"
Incredibly, the citizens of Jackson and Cape Girardeau, Missouri gathered "every piece of German literature that could be found" for the usual Independence Day firework display. In the article, school children were encouraged to furnish names of people who might have such materials. Although unique, it was not unusual for German literature during both World Wars to be confiscated or destroyed.
Citation: Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.), 28 June 1918. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90061309/1918-06-28/ed-1/seq-6/#date1=1915&index=1&rows=20&words=books+Burning&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=%22burning+books%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
Political Issue and Instrument of War
The Notorious Nazi Book Burnings of 1933
Prior to the official beginning of World War II, on May 10, 1933 national student associations planned a massive book burning event at the Opernplatz in Berlin to set aflame texts they deemed were responsible for the collapse of Germany. The event was planned by known bibliophile and Reich Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. Over the course of several days and weeks, universities across Germany followed suit and held campus book burnings of similar texts. Fire became a purification symbol for the Nazis and the burning of books became an essential thread in the Nazi Party's fabric of war (Fishburn, 2007). These notorious book burnings are shocking, partly because they were captured on film.
Religious Reasons
"Burning Pastor Russell's Books: An Outbreak of Fifteenth Century Intolerance in the Enlightened City of Tampa"
According to this newspaper article from the Ocala Evening Star, religious circles in the city of Tampa organized a book burning of certain religious works, namely those of Pastor Russell. Opposers deemed these works inappropriate for the community as they contained controversial principles related to "Russellite doctrine." Public protest prevented the public burning, however the article alleges many books were burned in private.
Citation: The Ocala evening star. (Ocala, Fla.), 20 March 1913. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84027621/1913-03-20/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1900&index=15&rows=20&words=book+books+burn+burned+burning&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=%22book+burning%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
Social Custom
"High School Grads Burn Books at Farewell Social Held at School"
The burning of textbooks by students is an ancient tradition. In American society, a common ritual of college and high school students is to burn the textbooks used in their final semester. Conversely, students also burn textbooks as an act of rebellion against controversial material being used in higher education texts (Baez, 2004).
This newspaper article from the El Paso Herald highlights the community's ritual of seniors burning their most despised textbooks after the final examinations took place. This scheduled book burning and ceremony took place at the local high school.
Citation: El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.), 22 May 1913. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88084272/1913-05-22/ed-1/seq-7/#date1=1900&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=book+books+burning&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=8&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=%22book+burning%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2
Moral Reason
"A Good Example"
The Evening Times newspaper article from Grand Forks, North Dakota praised a women’s club of San Francisco for burning and destroying books that were deemed "immoral." The article commends these "refined" women for being "awakened to the knowledge that by admitting to their library and encouraging the reading and discussion of certain books they have been sowing bad seed from which rank weeds grow" and for subsequently burning the offensive materials.
Citation: The evening times. (Grand Forks, N.D.), 17 Sept. 1913. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042373/1913-09-17/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1900&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=book+burn+burning&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=13&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=%22book+burning%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=3
Celebratory Cause
"Unique Celebration"
Incredibly, the citizens of Jackson and Cape Girardeau, Missouri gathered "every piece of German literature that could be found" for the usual Independence Day firework display. In the article, school children were encouraged to furnish names of people who might have such materials. Although unique, it was not unusual for German literature during both World Wars to be confiscated or destroyed.
Citation: Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.), 28 June 1918. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90061309/1918-06-28/ed-1/seq-6/#date1=1915&index=1&rows=20&words=books+Burning&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=%22burning+books%22&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
Political Issue and Instrument of War
The Notorious Nazi Book Burnings of 1933
Prior to the official beginning of World War II, on May 10, 1933 national student associations planned a massive book burning event at the Opernplatz in Berlin to set aflame texts they deemed were responsible for the collapse of Germany. The event was planned by known bibliophile and Reich Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. Over the course of several days and weeks, universities across Germany followed suit and held campus book burnings of similar texts. Fire became a purification symbol for the Nazis and the burning of books became an essential thread in the Nazi Party's fabric of war (Fishburn, 2007). These notorious book burnings are shocking, partly because they were captured on film.
Book Burning Timeline
Please click on the link below to explore five famous books of the 20th Century and their censorship or fiery demise.