Nothing sweet about A Birthday Cake for George Washington

A bronze statue of George Washington at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. ‘In order to keep his slaves enslaved, Washington would return them to Virginia every few months,’ writes Farah Mendlesohn. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Censorship is when a government or authority prevents someone from speaking or writing. When a business stops producing something because it is faulty, that is product recall (Book pulled over criticism of slavery depiction, 19 January).

For those who think A Birthday Cake for George Washington is a sweet little story, Pennsylvania was a free state. In order to keep his slaves enslaved, Washington would return them to Virginia every few months. On one of these occasions Hercules ran away. His family never saw him again. If it is acceptable and “free speech” to turn this into a happy little story about a slave serving his master joyfully, then I look forward to Scholastic producing a bright little picture book called The Children’s Choir of Terezin.
Professor Farah Mendlesohn
Anglia Ruskin University

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com