Mr Innis said while he wouldn’t go so far as to call the censors racist, he claimed whites “have to be very careful” to not be guilty of paternalism and treat others like children.

But Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP’s Washington bureau and senior vice president for advocacy and policy, said he found the new version of Conrad’s novel appropriate for readers.

“It offers an option,” Ms Shelton told FoxNews.com.

“Keep in mind you can still buy the original.”

He said the latest version of Conrad’s clbumic was not an example of censorship because its original intent remains intact.