President Joe Biden effectively uncanceled mentions of author Dr. Seuss in his 2022 proclamation for “Read Across America Day,” issued Tuesday.
“Children’s classics such as Dr. Seuss’ ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ and ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’ have inspired a passion for reading and endless creativity that spans generations,” Biden’s 2022 statement read.
Biden’s 2022 statement differed from his 2021 statement, which omitted any mention of the famous children’s book author.
Biden’s 2021 statement fueled an uproar from Americans who were furious about an attempt by “woke” public officials and administrators to cancel the famous children’s author and remove some of his books from libraries and book stores. The Dr. Seuss Foundation announced their decision to stop selling some of the famous author’s books because of “racist and insensitive imagery.”
“Read Across America Day” was founded in 1998 as a way to honor Dr. Seuss’s birthday, which is March 2.
Although Biden recognized works by Dr. Seuss, his 2022 statement did not honor the author himself, as former President Barack Obama did in 2016. Instead, he employed some elements of identity politics to promote the importance of reading.
“This is especially important as young people learn and grow and engage with their own sense of identity,” he wrote. “Books build each child’s sense of belonging and can help inculcate respect and empathy for others.”
He also pointed to the importance of diversity in books available to children.
“Today’s stories and adventures are as diverse as the world in which we live, and by reading them, we come to more fully understand the vibrant diversity of our Nation — and the world,” he wrote.
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