There’s been a lot of news lately that nonfiction readers will want to know about (and even take part in!). Let’s catch up on some of the biggest stories in the world of nonfiction literature, learning, resistance, and more.
Columbia Canceled My Course on Race and Media. I’m Going to Teach It Anyway. (The Golden Hour)
Columbia cancelled Karen Attiah’s class on Race, Media, and International Affairs—but she’s going to teach it anyway. I love seeing these forms of resistance, the dedication to sharing knowledge in accessible ways as institutions are dismantling their DEI departments.
On her Substack newsletter, Attiah describes how this was her dream class and one she built from the ground up. But because of Trump’s new policies, Columbia University decided not to offer it. This summer over the course of 4-6 weeks, Attiah will be offering the class as a “hybrid mix of live online lectures and recordings, access to a syllabus, guest speakers, and live Q+A discussions available to paid participants.” While the current class is sold out, I can’t help but imagine more classes like this will appear in the future.
A new documentary checks out the many ways libraries are a ‘Free For All’ (NPR)
With Trump’s administration trying to defund the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), libraries need our support more than ever. Recently, NPR highlighted Free for All, a new documentary on the history of public libraries in America and how they’ve been so important to our communities and culture.
I don’t know about you, but this documentary is jumping straight to the top of my watchlist. It is available to stream on PBS.
Read Your Resistance: Book Bans and Bravery: A Conversation with Samira Ahmed (Chicago Review of Books)
Over on the Chicago Review of Books, Gregg Zimmerman interviews Samira Ahmed, one of the leaders of the group, Authors Against Book Banning, which has over 5,000 members. I really appreciated that alongside describing how dire the state of book banning is, she also describes some of the recent wins for folks fighting for the freedom to read.
The State of U.S. Civics Education: Book Censorship News for May 2, 2025
And be sure not to miss the latest book banning news from Book Riot’s own Kelly Jensen. She also delves into the state of civics education in the U.S. Far too many states have little to no requirements on civics education, meaning that the average American has a lot of gaps in their knowledge of how the United States government really works.
You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave or over on Instagram @kdwinchester. As always, feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra
Source : A Documentary About Libraries, Learning About Race and Media, and More News for Nonfiction Lovers
