Literary classics "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" are back on the school library shelves in Accomack County in Virginia.
The books were removed Nov. 29 after a parent complained to the school board about racial slurs, but several residents took a stand against the decision by protesting outside the county courthouse and signing a petition to keep the books in school.
"These novels are treasures of American literature and inspirational, timeless stories of conscience and bravery," Dr. Ronnie E. Holden, chairman of the Accomack County school board, told WAVY-TV. "We agree that some of the language used is offensive and hurtful. Fortunately, Accomack County's excellent teachers and media center specialists have a wonderful talent for conveying the bigger meanings and messages of literature."
"To Kill a Mockingbird," a book by Harper Lee about rape and racial inequality in the 1930's, has been challenged or removed 13 times around the country, according to the American Library Association. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" has been one of the most frequently challenged and banned books in the country and was No. 14 on the ALA's Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books between 2000-2009. The book also touches on racism.
Both are considered Great American Classics and used in classrooms throughout the world to emphasize open-mindedness and denounce prejudice.
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