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.
- For the Day of the Imprisoned Writer on Nov. 15, PEN America convened a panel hosted by Dinaw Mengestu, writer and PEN America vice president. The event spotlighted Pham Doan Trang, an imprisoned Vietnamese writer who received the 2024 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award. It featured Trinh Huu Long and Tran Quynh Vi—friends and colleagues of Pham Doan Trang, and an empty chair marking her absence.
- PEN’s century-spanning history is on display at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin through Aug. 18, 2025. From Nazi book burnings to release of imprisoned writers, PEN International’s campaigns have protected the right to free expression. Summer Lopez, interim Co-CEO of PEN America visited the exhibit; read about it in our blog post.
- For Native American Heritage Month, we talked to Dr. Debbie Reese, a scholar, writer, and educationist about book bans and the continued threat to indigenous voices. Read the interview and shop books by Native authors on our Bookshop.
- PEN America condemned University of North Texas for Texas SB 17, a 2023 law banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and initiatives. “The situation at UNT is one of the most extreme cases of overcompliance with a censorship law we have ever seen,” said Jeremy C. Young, PEN America’s Freedom to Learn program director.
- Tennessee banned more than 700 books, including acclaimed titles by authors Toni Morrison, Jodi Picoult, Angie Thomas, John Green, and Dr. Seuss, from schools and libraries. PEN America decried the new state law, HB 843, that brought this into effect.
- In a new Facts Forward interview, PEN America’s journalism and disinformation team spoke to Steven Lee Myers of The New York Times. They discussed in an election campaign riddled with falsehoods and conspiracy theories.
