The Jasper Project is excited to welcome the SC chapter of Authors Against Banned Books (AABB) to the Degenerate Art Project II opening Thursday Feb. 12th at Stormwater Studios. Headed up in SC by Columbia Poet Laureate Jennifer Bartell and Jonathan Haupt, founder of the Pat Conroy Literary Center, AABB SC is supporting Jasper's Degenerate Art Project II by providing a Banned Books Free Library that will be available at the exhibit.
Authors Against Book Bans, a single-issue anti-censorship collaboration among published writers, poets, illustrators, editors, anthology contributors, and other book content creators engaged in protecting our freedoms to read and to write. AABB now has more than 3,500 members nationwide, and over 80 of them are here in South Carolina.
In 2024, Jonathan Haupt and Jennifer Bartell Boykin took on the responsibility of serving as co-leads for the SC chapter of AABB. They work with the AABB national leaders, other state chapter leaders, and with our AABB members across SC to share information and resources, and to coordinate pro-literacy service activities and anti-censorship advocacy.
According to Bartell, “Authors Against Book Bans SC has sponsored this Banned Books Free Library in support of Jasper's Degenerate Art Project II. Nazis banned and burned books. South Carolina currently leads the country in banned books.
“Books in this library have been banned in SC and are books commonly banned across the country. This library will operate on a ‘take a book, share a book’ honor system, allowing anyone to take books for free without needing to return them, though replacing them is encouraged. Please limit yourself to taking only one book. When you have finished reading the book, please pass it on. Consider placing the book in a free library in your community for another reader to experience. You are welcomed to come back with a banned book to help us keep the library stocked.”
Banned Books List 2025 (National)
Books Banned in SC
Authors Against Banned Books SC needs your help! We encourage you to donate a book or money towards the purchase of banned books. We are looking for books banned in SC and books that are commonly banned across the country. See the list above to see if you have any copies of these books on your shelves that you are willing to part with:
· You can bring a banned book to contribute to the library when you visit the exhibit
· You can mail a copy of the book to Bartell and she will drop it off
· You can donate money and Bartell will purchase a banned book on your behalf. CashApp: jenniB2005; Zelle: jennifer.sharain@gmail.com; Venmo & PayPal: jennib55.
“We hope you’ll consider joining us in these efforts,” Bartell says. To learn more about AABB—and to join yourself (at no cost), please click here.
For more about book bans in South Carolina and nationwide, Bartell recommends that you take the opportunity to stream the documentary film Banned Together, featuring many of SC’s DAYLO students alongside authors and advocates from across the country.