Book Burning in America - This timeline takes you through five book-burning events in America. You will find that religion, government, and protests can often be at the center of them.
By s401Student
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First book burning in what would become America
William Pynchon published a book titled The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption. It was very critical of the Puritans which just happens to be the group that was in power in Boston. The book was banned and all known copies were burned in Boston. -
Women Quaker Preachers from Barbados
Two Quaker women preachers arrived in Boston from Barbados and they brought several books that spoke negatively about the gospel religion in America. All the books were burnt on the Square in the Boston Market. -
Senator McCarthy urges State Dept librarians to burn communist books
Senator Joseph McCarthy was made aware by his aide that their were pro communist books found in the State Department Libraries in Europe. The State Department ordered its librarians to remove any pro communist books from its shelves in Europe and they complied. Some librarians even burned the books. -
The Beatles are more popular than god
John Lennon was quoted as saying "the Beatles are more popular than Jesus" which upset the Southern bible belt. There local evangelists urged the public to burn Beatles books and any other memorabilia they had. -
Feminists protest Miss America
Feminists protested the Miss America Pageant in 1968 and burnt negative books, magazines, bras, high heels, and other items in what they called a "Freedom Trash Can".
