The Dr. Seuss books have been loved by children and adults for generations, but 6 of them will no longer be published because they have been found racially offensive, according to the company that maintains the author’s legacy.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises says these 6 books, including “And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street” and “Scrambled Eggs Super!”, “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”
The company says it made the decision to cease sales of these stories, which also include “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer,” after consulting with educators and reviewing their catalog.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, although the decision was made last year. The decision was also influenced by President Biden who, omitted mentioning Dr. Seuss on America’s Reading Day, which is celebrated annually on the author’s birthday.
Dr. Seuss, whose birth name is Theodor Seuss Geisel, has come under heavy scrutiny over the years, as his alleged history of racist and anti-Semitic work has been uncovered. A study of 50 Seuss books in 2019 found that 43 out of 45 colored characters had characteristics that aligned with “Orientalism” and 2 “African” characters had anti-black qualities.
Of the 6 books that were released, “The Cat’s Quizzer” and “If I Ran the Zoo” were cited in the study specifically for having examples of orientalism and white supremacy.
