Intellectual censorship has reared its head time and time again throughout history. When the powerful feel the threat of the people, they’re quick to limit access to information that runs counter to their narrow hegemonic values. Book bans (and burnings) are a time honored tradition of these spineless oppressors. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a proliferation of them across the country. In the Age of the Internet, these bans feel particularly performative—a symbolic gesture that spits in the face of the First Amendment. With this series, we shine a light on work that has been adapted from banned books or banned authors in the state of Iowa.

In 1940s Chicago, a young Black man takes a job as a chauffeur to a white family, which ends up being a nightmare, and ultimately a thorough critique of systemic racism in the United States.