A number of books by the beloved children's author Dr. Seuss will no longer be published over their racist and insensitive imagery.
A spokesperson for Dr. Seuss Enterprises told the Associated Press that six books will no longer be reprinted in the future.
The six books which contain the offensive imagery are And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, McElligot's Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat's Quizzer.
"These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong," Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Associated Press
"Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises' catalog represents and supports all communities and families."
The decision was made last year after months of discussion, the company added.
Reports about the decision came on the same day as the late author and illustrator's birthday, which is celebrated as Read Across America Day.
"Dr. Seuss Enterprises listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics and specialists in the field as part of our review process," the statement added.
"We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalog of titles."
Over the past few years, Read Across America Day has been moving away from Dr. Seuss in its attempts to focus on more diverse books for children.
Some of the cartoons have been criticized for his cartoons which depict African-Americans as monkeys, as well as expressing a number of anti-Japanese sentiments.
This week, the Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia had to clarify that they are not banning Dr. Seuss' books, but are shifting are no longer connecting Read Across America Day with the author due to the "strong racial undertones" in his books.
"Given this research, and LCPS' focus on equity and culturally responsive instruction, LCPS provided this guidance to schools during the past couple of years to not connect Read Across America Day exclusively with Dr. Seuss' birthday," the district said in a statement.
"We continue to encourage our young readers to read all types of books that are inclusive, diverse and reflective of our student community, not simply celebrate Dr. Seuss."
A 2019 report claimed some of his books "feature animal or non-human characters that transmit Orientalist, anti-Black, and White supremacist messaging through allegories and symbolism."
The study, entitled The Cat is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, AntiBlackness, and White Supremacy in Dr. Seuss's Children's Books, adds: "Most startling is the complete invisibility and absence of women and girls of color across Seuss' entire children's book collection."
The study cites concerns with some of Dr. Suess' most popular books, including The Cat in the Hat, The Sneetches; and Horton Hears a Who!, although these books will continue to be published.
As noted by USA Today, President Joe Biden also did not mention Dr. Seuss' name during his "Read Across America Day" presidential proclamation.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more
