About this book
Ernest J. Gaines's 1993 novel, set in rural Louisiana in the 1940s, follows Grant Wiggins, a Black schoolteacher asked by his aunt to restore the dignity and humanity of Jefferson — a young man wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death. A white defence attorney had argued Jefferson was no more than a hog; the novel traces Grant's attempt to make Jefferson die as a man. Challenged in US schools for sexual content, violence, and profanity. Gaines won the National Book Critics Circle Award for it.
Why it was banned
Challenged in U.S. schools for sexual references, profanity, racial injustice, and execution-related themes; Gonzaga's banned books guide notes a 2008 challenge by two parents.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | — | SexualViolenceLanguage |
