Victory for the Right to Read in Arkansas

The Arkansas Right to Read Project leadership team is thrilled by the recent federal court ruling striking down the most contentious parts of Act 372 as unconstitutional. Judge Timothy Brooks’ decision is a monumental victory for intellectual freedom and the First Amendment, reaffirming that censorship has no place in Arkansas. This decision validates the hard work and commitment of advocates across the state, and it sets the stage for our next steps: the introduction of a “repeal and replace” bill, HB1086, in the 2025 legislative session.

Read Judge Brooks’ full opinion via the Arkansas Advocate.

The Arkansas Right to Read Project is a grassroots coalition of Arkansans united by a shared mission to stop censorship and defend the intellectual freedom rights of all residents. As the movement to ban books from libraries grows, our coalition stands firm in opposing laws that seek to restrict access to diverse and meaningful reading materials. Both the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article 2, Section 6 of the Arkansas Constitution guarantee the right to read without government interference, and we are here to protect that right.

Our mission is straightforward: to ensure that every Arkansan has the freedom to make their own choices about what they and their families read. We work tirelessly to achieve this by advocating for access to diverse books, educating legislators about the dangers of censorship, opposing defunding campaigns, promoting literacy, and raising public awareness about the importance of reading. Ultimately, we aim to inspire communities to defend their rights and preserve Arkansas libraries as spaces of learning and discovery.

Together, we can preserve the freedom to read for every Arkansan—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come. This legal victory is just the beginning. Let’s work together to ensure that Arkansas remains a place where everyone can use their libraries freely and without fear of censorship.