Resist Book Banning Broadside Series

The Press has produced a second series of broadsides. Our first broadside series with political quotes sold out.

Hand-printed on a Vandercook printing press on Hahnemühle Ingres paper, each broadside contains a quotation by a well-known author about book banning and censorship. Each piece is printed using a “rainbow roll” of ink on the cylinder press, meaning no two prints share the exact same colors or gradient.

Quotations are from Ursula K. Le Guin, Alice Walker, Margaret Atwood, Amanda Gorman, Emily Dickinson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Judy Blume. Two of the broadsides contain images rather than quotes, including a reproduction of a Life Publishing Company Magazine spread published in 1897, entitled “Marooned.”

This series was inspired by conversations with a friend—a librarian in Texas—who was asked to implement policies banning any "gender-based" materials from their institution. Not only was that a nearly impossible task (imagine removing anything containing the word “women’s” from a public university library), but it was also heartbreaking and frightening. Other states have implemented, or are trying to implement, similar policies, even at the public university level.

The quotations on these broadsides contain reminders about the importance of freedom of expression and speech. First Bite Press has mailed several sets of these broadsides to booksellers, librarians, and others across the country, hoping they will be shared to remind us why we must keep resisting the censorship and banning of books.

If you would like to purchase this series to keep for yourself or post around your town, you can find them on our Kickstarter campaign page for Babylon Songs. Purchase the fine press book Babylon Songs during the campaign, and we will give you one set of the broadsides for free!