Six books from legendary author Dr. Seuss will no longer be published due to racist and insensitive imagery, as stated by the business that preserves the author’s legacy.
Titles such as And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo will stop being published due to the racist and insensitive portrayal of certain minorities in their images.
After taking feedback from experts, including teachers and academics in the field, Dr. Seuss Enterprises moved to stop publishing stating “these books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”
“Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr Seuss Enterprises’ catalogue represents and supports all communities and families,” the business states.
The decision to cease the publication of books, which include McElligot’s Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat’s Quizzer, was made last year after months of discussion and was announced in a statement that coincided with the late author’s birthday.
(4/4)
These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families.
— Dr. Seuss (@DrSeuss) March 2, 2021
“Dr Seuss Enterprises listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics and specialists in the field as part of our review process,” the statement read.
“We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalogue of titles.”
No one is "canceling" Dr. Seuss.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises made the decision to stop publishing six books, like the one below. It's obviously racist.
Yes, Dr. Seuss evolved. Anyone can.
Show me someone upset about this and I'll show you someone unwilling to evolve. pic.twitter.com/u6Gh8Irm1P
— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) March 2, 2021
Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr Seuss, passed away in 1991. However, the author still remained quite popular, earning an estimated $42.3 million before taxes in 2020 and with Forbes listing him second on its highest-paid dead celebrities for 2020 – right behind Michael Jackson.
However, as adored and successful as the iconic illustrator still is, he has gained increased criticism in recent years due to the stereotyped and racially-insensitive characterisations in his books.
The depictions of various cultures are racist. Many booms have and had harmful things in them. “It’s just a book” doesn’t change that. No one is canceling history. You can still find these pretty easily and the company decided on their own to do it
— Oliver (@TentacleBunnyTV) March 2, 2021
Although receiving some criticism, the iconic The Cat in the Hat will still be published. However, Dr. Seuss Enterprises states it is “committed to listening and learning and will continue to review our entire portfolio.”
