Bless Me, Ultima
Artist: Rudolfo Anaya
Year: 2013
Date of Action: December 2013
Region: North America
Location: Driggs, Idaho
Subject: Explicit Sexuality
Medium: Literature
Confronting Bodies: Teton County School District
Description of Artwork: Bless Me, Ultima is an award-winning, best-selling novel by one of the recognized founders of Chicano literature. It is a coming of age story for a young boy and his mentor, Ultima. The novel focuses on the young boy's spiritual transformation amidst cultural and societal changes in the American Southwest during World War II.
The Incident: Superintendent Monte Woolstenhulme attempted to ban the book due to its profanity and sexual content.
Results of Incident: NCAC wrote a letter to the school district and shortly thereafter the ban was revoked.