Black Brother, Black Brother

About this book

A powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers - one who presents as white, the other as Black - and the ways they are forced to navigate a world that doesn't treat them equally. Donte wishes he were invisible. As one of the few black boys at his school, he feels as if he is constantly swimming in whiteness. Most of the students don't look like him. They don't like him either. Dubbed the 'Black Brother', Donte's teachers and classmates make it clear they wish he were more like his lighter skinned brother, Dre. When an incident with a white student leads to Donte's arrest and suspension, he's sure the only way to get even is to beat the student at the school's most valued game: fencing. With the help of a former Olympic fencer, Donte embarks on a journey to carve out a spot on the school's fencing team and to find a way to make people at school see past the colour of his skin to who he really is. From NYT bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes, another poignant and gripping story about how children and families face the complexities of race and racism in today's world.

Censorship history

In 2024, "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes was banned at the school level in several districts across the United States, primarily due to concerns over its themes of race and colonialism. Notably, in a school board meeting in a district in Texas, parents and community members raised formal complaints about the book, leading to a vote that resulted in its removal from the curriculum. The ban has sparked ongoing debates about educational content and representation, with some advocating for its reinstatement while others support the decision to remove it.

Bans

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