The 1970 novel by Toni Morrison banned or challenged in many schools for its depiction of incest and rape is The Bluest Eye.
Morrison’s debut novel is set in Lorain, Ohio, and follows Pecola Breedlove, a Black girl who longs for blue eyes because she believes they would make her beautiful and worthy of love. The story examines internalized racism, poverty, family violence, and the destructive beauty standards imposed by American society.
The novel’s most controversial material includes the rape of Pecola by her father, Cholly, as well as child abuse and incestuous exploitation. These scenes led to challenges and removals in places including Baker City, Oregon; Littleton, Colorado; and Wentzville, Missouri. Some districts restricted the book to older students or offered alternative assignments rather than banning it outright.
A common mix-up is The Color Purple, another frequently challenged novel involving sexual violence and oppression. Morrison’s book is also notable for beginning the career of an author who later won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993.