Banning “The Book of Negroes.” Who are we really protecting?

BY PAUL JUNOR

Lawrence Hill’s novel, “The Book of Negroes” has received many accolades since it was published in 2007. There is no doubt that the word “nigger” has become a lightning rod of controversy particularly when high school students are exposed to its usage. It is within that context that the recent decision was made by the London Catholic District School Board to prevent Grade 11 and 12 students reading the “The Book of Negroes.”

In an op-ed piece titled, “About That Word and About Those Books” penned by Lawrence Hill in the Saturday, December 7^th, 2024, Globe and Mail he explored the controversy. Hill mentioned that he became aware of the issue when Heather Hamilton, a veteran English teacher contacted him in November and told him that she was informed by the executive superintendent that she should no longer teach the novel because of the n-word. The reason given was that the “word ” harms students, and that she was no longer allowed to require students to read any book containing the “word.” Only literature that celebrates “Black joy” was allowed.

Lawrence draws upon the history of African-Canadian writers in the article. He mentioned that they explore a wide range of themes and issues based on their social -lived realities and personal experiences. He states they, “Explore: social and racial injustice, war, slavery, migration, love, resilience and emancipation. We draw upon the experiences and language that we and our ancestors have known throughout our 400- year history. Sometimes, our characters will face racism. When they do, it might not pass the test of authentic dialogue to write, Mr. Brown, would you ever so kindly move to the back of the bus before we commit capital punishment on your person?”

Hill is aware of the usage of the N-word in his book. He writes, “I ran the word ‘nigger’ through the “find” function and discovered that it appears 24 times in my novel. Well, 23 because I don’t count the time it sneaked inside the verb “sniggered.” I will not apologize 23 times. I won’t even apologize once.” For Hill, there is a purpose to his utilization of this offensive and derogatory term which is often associated with: hatred, bigotry and racial discrimination. He states further, “Subverting language-including terms that have been forced on us is foundational in Black literature. This too can be joyful. It can even be funny.”

Hill mentioned that there have been several teachers in addition to Ms. Hamilton who has reached out to him to express concerns about his book not being allowed. He notes, “This putative ban sometimes hiding behind the whispers that teachers may allow a student to read a book individually, but that they may not assign it to an entire class erases Black writers from school curriculums. It may be well intended, but it has the same effect as efforts in the United States and Canada to ban books that explore anti-Black racism. It denies our children access to a wide range of challenging (and thrilling!) literature, and it will exacerbate the widespread tendency to ignore Black history, Black culture, Black literature and Black people.”

Hill mentioned that he received a response from Superintendent of People and Culture and General Counsel of the LCDSB Susan Nickle after his queries. She states that the board “Does not, and will not, censor, or ban your book” and furthermore, his work “Will continue to be available as options for student engagement and learning within our libraries and classrooms across our district.” Superintendent Nickle states further, “Due to the triggering language and content present in the Book of Negroes, and several students who have expressed concerns, we are not able to make it required/mandatory reading for formal assessment. That being said, your book remains an important resource that students can continue to voluntarily select for classroom novel study. Our objective is to create an inclusive and supportive educational environment for all students.”

Hill mentioned that Ms. Hamilton told him that she has taught the novel to 900 students in her teaching career and there were never any concerns. Students are given the opportunity to opt out of reading the novel. She told Hill that she was told outrightly “That under no circumstances am I to teach a novel using the n-word.” Hill mentions that he doesn’t like using ‘the n-word,’ because ‘It is a silly euphemism.’ “We all know what we are talking about. The term ‘n-word’ evokes the very same history as ‘nigger.’ It means the same thing, but makes the speaker appear skittish and afraid.”

Hill concludes, “Students need books by Black authors. Unflinching books that employ authentic language. Educators need to offer those books, and to lean on their research and their training to do so. Banning books with the word “nigger” does not protect students. It only protects educators from doing one of their most difficult, but important jobs.”

In response to the backlash and media attention from the controversy the LCDSB issued a response titled, “Clarifying the Use of Resources in LDCSB Schools.” It states that it “Wishes to address recent discussions regarding our policies on book selections within our schools. Notwithstanding certain positions taken in the media, it is important to confirm that our school board does not and has never banned books, or other educational resources. Our commitment to providing a diverse and inclusive educational environment involves the careful vetting of literature and resources. This vetting process aims to identify language, or content that might be potentially triggering for students, whether through language, or content. Students in our schools remain able to select and study a wide range of literary works, including the Book of Negroes and other similar titles.”