Racist Imagery and Dr. Seuss - A Note From Tessa

In the following note, Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, Wisconsin's Youth and Inclusive Services Public Library Consultant shares more perspective on Intellectual Freedom considerations and some important links from the CCBC and elsewhere to help us navigate the recent Seuss news.

This week’s announcement from Seuss Enterprises left many libraries considering their collections. 

Regarding the six books no longer in publication, I urge you to read the What IF? response, “Books with Racist Images,” from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Intellectual Freedom Services. 

 The response includes a link to another What IF? Forum entry entitled “Cultural Inaccuracies in Books and Intellectual Freedom.” This entry discusses books used in programs and displays. Given the wide-ranging product tie-ins related to Seuss books, it bears consideration if your library has puppets, costumes, toys, stickers, decor, or other merchandise featuring  problematic illustrations such as the Cat in the Hat.

 

The Cat in the Hat was not one of the titles designated by Seuss Enterprises at this time. However, I urge you to read the following articles about books authored/illustrated by Dr. Seuss. These peer-reviewed pieces provided context, then and now, for examining racist imagery in books for children. 

• The Cat is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, Anti-Blackness, and White Supremacy in Dr. Seuss’s Children’s Books by Katie Ishizuka and Ramón Stephens. Research on Diversity in Youth Literature. Vol 1, Iss 2. 2019.
• Was the Cat in the Hat Black? The Hidden Racism of Children’s Literature, and the Need for Diverse Books by Philip Nel. Oxford University Press. 2017.
• The Problem With Picture Book Monkeys: Racist imagery associating simians with Black people has a long history by Edith Campbell. School Library Journal, December 4, 2019.

 

Lastly, you might consider the blog post from the Youth Services Section of the Wisconsin Library Association which offers suggestions for how to talk about Seuss with library users, including a helpful infographic. 

 

Thank you for your time and attention to these important issues. I appreciate your critical thinking and commitment to creating libraries where everyone is safe, welcome, and respected.

 

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt (she/her/hers)

Youth and Inclusive Services Public Library Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction | Library Services

(608) 267-5077 Tessa.Schmidt@dpi.wi.gov

 

Anti-Racism and Dr. Seuss posts

• Responding to Surprised Dr. Seuss Fans  3/3/21
• Racist Imagery and Dr. Seuss – A Note from Tessa  3/5/21
• Philip Nel’s Anti-Racism Resources  3/15/21

For more information on anti-racism and activism resources, please see these additional YSS posts:

• Antiracism Work with Preschoolers  6/24/20
• Race, Justice, Kids and Libraries   5/28/20
• CCBC - Black Experiences: Affirmation and Resilience, Activism and Resistance  6/19/20
• CCBC - Race and Racism: Selected Books for Children and Teens  6/19/20
• DPI- Race and Anti-Racism Resources for WI Libraries   6/22/20