The New Republic is launching a bold new initiative to combat censorship and celebrate the First Amendment to coincide with Banned Books Week October 1–7, 2023. This fall, we are taking it on the road, sending a bookmobile to distribute books in states that have witnessed the highest incidents of banned books, including Texas, Florida, Missouri, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

We will launch our journey at the Brooklyn Book Festival on October 1 where we will accept book (and financial) donations with special help from our partners at House of SpeakEasy via the SpeakEasy Bookmobile.

Our “festival on wheels” will connect with communities, authors, bookstores, libraries, and local leaders to celebrate the freedom to read.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @newrepublic #TNRBookmobile #TNRStandsWithTheBanned and Eventbrite.

TNR Banned Bookmobile Tour 2023 (more info to come)*

Oct 1—Brooklyn, New York

10 a.m.–6 p.m. // Brooklyn Book Festival—Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza & Columbus Park

Oct 3—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2 p.m.– 5 p.m. // King PreK – 8, 50 Montgomery Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Oct 4—Washington, D.C.

11 a.m.–3 p.m. // MLK Library, 901 G St NW

Oct 7—Daytona, Florida

10 a.m.– 2 p.m. // John H. Dickerson Community Center, 308 Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Daytona Beach

Oct 9—Miami, Florida

12 p.m.–4 p.m. // Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables

Oct 10—Tallahassee, Florida

1 p.m.-5 p.m. // Common Ground Books,128 N Bronough St, Tallahassee

Oct 11—Jacksonville, Florida

4 p.m.–6:30 p.m. // The Church of Oakland, 1025 Jessie Street

Oct 14—Norfolk, Virginia

Oct 18—Springfield, Missouri

Oct 21—Lexington, Kentucky

Oct 25—Dallas, Texas

Oct 26—Austin, Texas

Oct 28—Houston, Texas

*Route subject to change

Special thanks to our partners:

The American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, health care and public services for our students, their families, and our communities. To learn more about AFT’s work and AFT’s Real Solutions for Kids and Communities campaign, visit AFT.org.

Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries. The annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.

The African American Policy Forum
The African American Policy Forum (AAPF) is an innovative and intersectional think tank which launched the From Freedom Riders to Freedom Readers: Books Unbanned campaign in October 2022 to increase critical literacy, voter engagement, and understanding of how the suppression of knowledge renders us unable to confront inequality. Visit aapf.org/truthbetold for more information.

Bookshop.org
Bookshop.org works to connect readers with independent booksellers all over the world.

We believe local bookstores are essential community hubs that foster culture, curiosity, and a love of reading, and we’re committed to helping them thrive.

House of SpeakEasy
SpeakEasy is dedicated to the idea that literature matters and that the essence of literary culture

is the relationship between writers and their readers. On stage. In schools. On the road. We believe that book ownership should be a right, not a privilege.

Urban Libraries Council
The Urban Libraries Council has spent 50 years enriching communities by strengthening and promoting the value of libraries as essential public assets.