Book Bans, Libraries & Liberty: Inside Alabama’s Fight Against Censorship

In Episode 52 of Raised Red, Living Blue, we sit down with Angie Hayden, Co-Founder of Read Freely Alabama, and Krysti Shallenberger, the organization’s Public Policy Director, to examine the growing effort to remove books from public libraries under the banner of “parental rights.”

What began as a handful of book challenges in local libraries has evolved into a coordinated, statewide censorship campaign targeting LGBTQ+ representation, books on race, sex education, and materials that foster empathy and critical thinking. Angie and Krysti break down how these efforts are connected to national organizations, why public libraries—not schools—are being targeted in Alabama, and what’s really at stake when the government decides what information is “acceptable.”

This conversation goes beyond books. It’s about liberty, small government, free speech, and who gets to belong in public spaces.

✨ In this episode, we discuss:

— How book bans spread from local library boards to state-level power

— The weaponization of “parental rights”

— Why censorship disproportionately targets marginalized communities

— The real impact of restricted access on kids, families, and literacy

— Why the freedom to read is a foundational American value

Whether you’re conservative, progressive, or politically exhausted, this episode asks a simple question: Who decides what you’re allowed to read—and what happens when fear replaces freedom?

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Jason Will

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Progressive Podcaster 

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