As the world mourns Dolly Parton today, it is worth remembering that Missouri Republicans cut roughly $4 million from one of the most meaningful parts of her legacy: the Imagination Library program that mails free books to young children.
Parton created the program in 1995 in honor of her father, who could not read or write.
What began as a small effort in Tennessee eventually grew into an international literacy program that sends children under five a free, age-appropriate book every month.
Missouri joined that effort statewide in 2023.
By early 2026, more than 169,000 children in the state were enrolled, and millions of books had already been sent to families.
But earlier this year, Missouri’s Republican-led legislature slashed the program’s funding.
The state had been providing nearly $6 million. Under the new budget, that dropped to roughly $2 million.
The impact was immediate.
Missouri stopped accepting new applications because there was no longer enough money to keep expanding enrollment.
That means fewer children will get access to the very program Dolly spent decades building.
She believed every child deserved the chance to fall in love with reading, regardless of how much money their family had.
That was the point.
The Imagination Library was simple, generous, and effective: put books directly into kids’ hands and give them a stronger start in life.
Dolly spent her life creating opportunities like that.
Missouri Republicans chose to cut them.
As people across the world celebrate everything Dolly Parton gave back, this decision is a reminder that honoring her legacy means protecting the programs she built while they are still helping children
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