PEN America works tirelessly to defend free expression, support persecuted writers, and promote literary culture. Here are some of the latest ways PEN America is speaking out.
- PEN America released a new report, “Facts & Fiction: Stories Stripped Away by Book Bans,” which offers detailed analysis of the 3,743 titles removed from school libraries and classrooms during the last academic year. The report documents a doubling in bans of nonfiction titles, a trend that “shows an embrace of anti-intellectualism, undermining public knowledge by devaluing education and expertise,” according to Kasey Meehan, director of Freedom to Read. Read the report, and check out coverage in The Guardian and USA Today.
- Academic freedom at Texas Tech is officially dead — at least according to students who held a “funeral” for it to protest escalating censorship on their campus. “This is not symbolic exaggeration,” one student said. “This is a serious response to a year of decisions that threaten the integrity of our universities.” Read more.
- It’s not just Texas Tech: Universities across the state have been overcomplying with SB 37, which took effect in September, and taking censorship into their own hands. Here’s the rundown on what’s happening at various university systems.
- Haven’t heard about our character-naming auction, which gives you the chance to have your name or a loved one’s name featured in an upcoming work by authors including David Baldacci, Lee Child, Jodi Picoult, and Jennifer Egan? Check out coverage in PEOPLE, and bid now to see your name in print.
- PEN America wrapped up the 2026 World Voices Festival, a whirlwind celebration of international literature and cross-cultural dialogue, on Saturday. Read about some of our captivating panels, and stay tuned for more.
- PEN America expressed alarm over reports of an FBI investigation into Sarah Fitzpatrick, the Atlantic journalist who investigated Director Kash Patel’s alleged episodes of intoxication and dereliction of duty. “The FBI surely has plenty of real work on its plate without Kash Patel’s team reportedly ordering up a sham federal probe to retaliate against a free press,” said Tim Richardson, journalism and disinformation program director. Read the full statement, and check out coverage of it in Poynter.
- Meehan busts the myth of “porn in schools,” saying it’s a decoy for book bans, in an op-ed for The Hill. “Of the thousands we’ve seen removed from classrooms and school libraries supposedly for porn, none meet the legal or even informal definition,” she writes. Check out the piece.
- In the New York Daily News, Aileen Favilla, program manager for campus free speech, and Kristen Shahverdian, director of campus free speech, condemned New York University’s decision to screen pre-recorded videos of student commencement speakers rather than allowing them to speak live. “Instead of using policy to quiet campuses, leaders should offer more occasions for students to speak meaningfully and worry less about what will happen if that speech should go awry,” they write. Read the full piece.
- Virginia lawmakers landed on an important truth this legislative session: More censorship is never the answer. In response to concerns raised by PEN America and other organizations, Gov. Abigail Spanberger revised HB 333, a law designed to address rising disinformation about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, to avoid dictating what perspectives can and cannot be taught in the classroom. Read more.
- PEN America hosted a panel discussion with agents, authors, and editors on how to be published by the Big Five. If you missed it, catch up on the tips and tricks here.
