Jock Sturges (Barnes and Noble)
Date: 1947 - Present
Region: North America
Subject: Nudity
Medium: Photography
Artist: Jock Sturges
Confronting Bodies: Christian Right advocates lead by Dr. James Dobson and Randall Jerry
Dates of Action: 1997
Location: United States bookstores
Description of Artwork: Photography books by Jock Sturges, which include pictures of nude children.
The Incident: Bookstores, particularly Barnes & Noble and Borders, received requests that Jock Sturges' books be removed for being pornographic. In some locations protestors entered the stores and destroyed their copies. Barnes & Noble was indicted in Alabama and Tennessee on obscenity charges for selling books by Sturges and photographer David Hamilton.
Results of Incident: Barnes & Noble reached a settlement with Tennessee authorities agreeing to treat the materials like material that is harmful to minors. It agreed that in Tennessee it would display the books in blinder racks 5 1/2 feet off the floor or use opaque shrink wrap. The Montgomery, Alabama case was dismissed on a technicality. Otherwise, Barnes & Noble and Borders would not remove the books from their shelves.
Source: American Library Association, NCAC
