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 memorialized Banned Books Week with a host of events nationwide! We hope you joined us for our conversation with writer and actor George Takei about the dangers of censorship, screenings of the documentaries The Librarians and Banned Together, or at Ellis Angel’s art installation, which features weavings made from shredded banned books. But the week isn’t over yet. You can still purchase tickets or streaming access to Saturday’s (September 11) Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards ceremony here. Ten authors will be honored, including Margaret Atwood, who will receive the Eleanor Roosevelt Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Following the release of PEN America’s latest report on book bans, a Congressional resolution called on local governments and school districts to defend the freedom to read, and 35 advocacy organizations signed a letter calling for public action against educational censorship. Read PEN America’s full statement here, read the Congressional resolution here, and read the joint letter here.
- PEN America expressed alarm about the Pentagon’s revised press access policy, which has swapped out overt censorship for intimidation tactics. “The DoD’s revised policy now includes vague and troubling provisions that allow government officials to label reporters as ‘security risks’ and revoke their credentials simply for seeking information—including unclassified material—not pre-approved for release,” said Tim Richardson, journalism and disinformation program director. Read the full statement here.
- On the five-year anniversary of writer and journalist Pham Doan Trang’s arrest in Vietnam, PEN America and an international coalition of non-governmental organizations urged the literary community to demand the Vietnamese government release her immediately. “Pham Doan Trang’s only ‘crime’ is fearless truth-telling in the face of repression, and for this she has faced five years of unjust detention,” said Liesl Gerntholtz, managing director of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center. Read PEN America’s full statement here, and read the international coalition’s statement here.
- PEN America welcomed New York University law school’s decision to work with its Federalist Society chapter to host an event with conservative legal scholar Ilya Shapiro on October 7. Administrators previously called off the event, citing security concerns. Read more here.
- PEN America created the Email Safety Toolbox, which provides writers and their allies guidance on how to protect their physical and psychological safety while using their email account. View it here, and read an interview with the author that helped inspire the toolbox here.
- PEN America applauded author László Krasznahorkai for winning the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature — but even one of the most prestigious literary awards can’t keep authors safe from bans. Check out our new list of banned books by previous Nobel-winning authors here.
- Join us in uplifting Hispanic culture and history this Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through October 15. Check out our blog post about banned books exploring Hispanic identity here, and browse our curated reading list here.
