Slavery has been a controversial topic since the early 19th century and continues to be a sensitive topic today. This problem only gets worse when children and their education are involved. There has been debate as to whether novels and similar material depicting slavery are acceptable in the high school curriculum. People are often opinionated and stubborn with their opinions regarding race and discrimination. As a result, little progress has been made on the topic. People's opinions range from both ends of the spectrum. Some advocate a blanket ban on books depicting slavery and discrimination in an effort to exclude the past. Others fully support using the book as a learning tool for the future. Most people would agree that the latter group has a more rational approach. I am one of those people who believe that literary works like Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Twelve Years a Slave are necessary material for the high school English curriculum because they draw attention to an important part of American history that is commonly avoided. by society and are some of the most important books in American literature and students deserve to decide for themselves whether or not to accept them. The slave era was one of the darkest parts of American history. Because slavery was so harmful to an entire race and contributed to further racism that persists to this day, many people do their best to avoid that entire period of time and by doing so they think they are protecting their children from hatred and harmful effects. of discrimination. However, in reality it is impossible to ignore the story. The article “Forgetting Slavery” says: It is vitally important that Ame...... middle of paper ......466-70. Press. “Finding Jim Behind the Mask: The Revelation of African-American Humanity in Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Fgcu.edu. np January 13, 1998. Web. January 4, 2014. “Forgetting Slavery.” The American perspective. np April 13, 2011. Web. January 4, 2014. Peaches, Henry. “The Struggle for Tolerance: Race and Censorship in Huckleberry Finn.” The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. eds. Gerald Graff, James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004. 382-404. Print.Smiley, Jane. “Tell Me It Ain't So, Huck: Afterthoughts on Mark Twain's Masterpiece.” The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. eds. Gerald Graff, James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2004. 456-66. Print.Stowe, Harriet B. Uncle Tom's Cabin. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2004. Print.