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Banned Books Week 2024

Banned Books Week 2024

Banned Books Week is Sept. 22-28, 2024.

Book bans are on the rise in classrooms and libraries across the country. PEN America champions the freedom to read. We invite readers, authors, educators, librarians, and everyone who opposes censorship to get involved during Banned Books Week 2024. Learn more about PEN America’s groundbreaking research, this year’s events, and how you can #FreeTheBooks!

Banned Books Week Events

PEN America has events for Banned Books Week 2024 all over the country.

What You Need to Know

From July 2021 to the end of the 2023 school year, PEN America recorded more than 10,000 instances of book bans.

37% of the banned books had characters of color or themes of race and racism. 36% had LGBTQ+ characters or themes.

Florida and Texas lead the country in number of bans, but the crisis has spread to 41 states and 247 public school districts. 

Learn More & Take Action Against Censorship

Help PEN America Fight Book Bans

PEN America is the leading organization fighting book bans, protecting the freedom to read, and ensuring that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, convey information and ideas, and express their views. Please join us today.

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