On this day in history, March 2nd, 1904, Dr. Seuss, pen name of Theodor Seuss Geisel, was born.
His birth date used to be a day of celebration in many elementary schools. The National Educational Association (N.E.A.), a three-million member national teachers union, marked Geisel’s birthdate, “Read Across America Day.”It was often referred to by students and teachers as “Dr. Seuss Day” where many teachers would wear a Cat in the Hat style hat and read the classic Seuss books within their classrooms.
However, beginning in 2017, the N.E.A. began to deemphasize the March 2nd tradition. An official article from the union stated “a connection to the legendary children’s author no longer comes without criticism.”
The criticism involved Geisel’s books, spanning from the 1930s-1970s, which included negative racial stereotypes of Asian-Americans and African-Americans.
Seuss Enterprises openly acknowledges the pain involved by those affected. In a statement titled, “Dr. Seuss Use of Racist Images,” the Dr. Seuss publishing company recognized, “These racially stereotypical drawings were hurtful then and are still hurtful today.” As a result, the six Dr. Seuss books containing upsetting racist images and phrases will no longer be published.
My personal stance and positive results of this debate
As a child who grew up on a literary diet of Dr. Seuss books, I share in the shock, anger, and sadness of many after seeing degregatory images and statements towards people of color in his books. These racist depictions are hurtful, demeaning, and offensive.
Even as I wrestle through my thoughts and emotions caused by seeing these images, I have found two positive outcomes in the recent conversations around Dr. Seuss.
The first being that the voices of the offended were listened to and acted upon. Whether you agree with the moratorium of the publishing of the six Dr. Seuss or not, I believe this is a healthy sign that our culture listens and replies to people of color and minority groups who have often not had a voice.
Secondly, I appreciate that there is a more diligent scrutiny of children’s literature to ensure that images children see, especially by such prolific authors as Dr. Seuss, do not affirm negative racial stereotypes.
Context
In order to understand Dr. Seuss, we must see his work within his time and place of when it was produced. It does not excuse what he wrote or drew, but the context helps us understand why his books contain the content and illustrations they did.
Events in American history at the time Geisel published, reveals why he would include racially charged images in his children’s books.
During America’s involvement in WWII, from 1941-1945, there was a strong anti-Japanese sentiment across the country. Japan was an enemy in war and many Americans believed Asian-Americans were also enemies at home. That sentiment led to the internment of 100,000 Japanese-Americans by Executive Order.
For the duration of the war, Japanese-Americans (many who were American citizens) were forced to leave their homes, jobs and businesses to live in isolated military housing.
Within this wartime period Geisel created much of the illustrations that negatively stereotyped Asisan-Americans.
Geisel’s descriptions and imagery of African-Americans was also fitting to the wider culture of America from the 1930s-1960s. Negative depictions of African-Americans have a long and devastating history in America which only intensified in the post-Civil War period from the 1870s-1960s.
While Geisel is responsible for the work he produced, our anger and disappointment should also be at the wider culture that held racist views during the time.
How Dr. Seuss changed over time
While the culture affected Geisel’s inclusion of racist images and statements in the earlier part of his career (1930s- 1955), the wider culture also affected Geisel’s exclusion of such references towards the latter part of his career (1955 – 1990).
The clear turning point for Geisel, and the American culture at-large, was the Civil Rights Movement from 1955-1968. The Civil Rights Movement was a significant moment when many white Americans finally recognized the evil of racism. As a result, how authors and illustrators depicted people of color changed during that time, including Geisel.
Case-in-point is that five of the six Dr. Seuss books that are no longer being published were produced before the Civil Rights Movement, from 1937-1955. The sixth book was published in 1973, which shows that the culture, and Geisel himself, were not totally cured of their racist views.
For better and for worse, Geisel was a man of his time. Dr. Seuss books are artifacts from that time that reflect the circumstances, attitudes, and societal norms of his day. The collection of his books are also artifacts to show how people can change and learn over time.
The entirety of Geisel’s work
We also must look at the entirety of a person’s work before we judge them on their work. Six Dr. Seuss books did include racist images to which Geisel is accountable, yet 41 do not. It is unfair and irresponsible to label him as outright racist without taking into account his larger wider body of work and how his work changed overtime.
How the gospel brings hope to our ‘Cancel Culture’
I have sought to represent a larger view of Geisel and the context in which he lived and worked. I have attempted to bring some historical evidence and other points of view to bear. However, the indisputable fact remains that Dr. Seuss, Theodor Geisel, produced racist books. He is guilty. Dr. Seuss is guilty of the sin of racism and his sin has hurt many deeply.
The judges of our cancel culture say to cancel him outright and move on. Yet the gospel message offers mercy, hope, and forgiveness.
The truth is, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). We may not struggle with the sin of racism, but according to God’s law, all of us have fallen short. God the Judge, who is perfect, holy, and righteous cannot look at or wink at our sin. Therefore, God is completely just in punishing and canceling us all, for eternity, for our sin.
But in His grace, God sent his sinless Son Jesus to pay for the entirety of our sins —past, present and future—and to bear the just punishment of our sins. For on the cross, Jesus sacrificed his very life to atone for our sin and to cancel “the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Col. 2:14-15).
For those who believe in the resurrected Christ, their sinful record is canceled and they stand in Christ’s righteousness and not their own. Furthermore, when the accusations from our cancel culture or from the enemy come, Jesus our lawyer is quick to defend His beloved.
Christ is the first to say, ‘guilty as charged,’ when sin has been committed. But He does not condemn us, shame us, or cancel us. Rather He reminds that He paid,in full, the due punishment for that sin on the cross so we could go free.
The last verse in the Book of Judges presents a time when, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” (21:25) which was to the peril of that culture. The judges of the cancel culture are judging everyone who is doing wrong in his or her own eyes, much to our culture’s peril.
As those who know the truth, let us be a voice of hope into our culture. For we know the good news, that as the famous hymn sings: “Before the throne of God above /I have a strong, a perfect plea/ A great High Priest, whose Name is Love/ Who ever lives and pleads for me.”