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With Massive Book Banning in Prisons, PEN America Presents “Return to Sender: Prison as Censorship,” a NYC Exhibition Sept. 14-Oct. 28
Moira Marquis, an advocate in PEN America’s Prison and Justice Writing program, said: “More books are banned in prisons than anywhere else in the country and censorship is rising… More
Anti-Censorship Groups: Florida Attorney General Filing Says ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Doesn’t Apply to School Libraries
A group of free expression and anti-censorship groups sent a letter to schools across Florida today, alerting them to legal filings by the state’s Attorney General that the “Don’t… More
Clara Mundy | 2023 PEN/Robert J. Dau Prize Winner
I hope that readers consider the subtle ways that power can seep into a person’s life and manipulate their self-image: What parts of ourselves did we only feel ashamed… More
PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression The Week of August 28
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. More
Anti-LGBTQ+ Campaigns Lead to Broad Crackdown on Free Expression
A broad attack on LGBTQ+ rights in Lebanon reflects a larger trend of attacks on free expression in the country and the region. More
Unjust Prison Sentence in Algeria Against Scholar and Writer Raouf Farrah and His Father
“This unjust sentence against Raouf Farrah and his father illustrates how far the Algerian government is willing to go to stamp out critical commentary and independent scholarship. By handing… More
Sonia Feldman | 2023 PEN/Robert J. Dau Prize Winner
Reading gives me the opportunity to think somebody else’s thoughts instead of my own. That’s what I hope my writing might offer to someone else, a respite from the… More
Monthslong Campaign of “Baseless Claims and Conspiracy Theories” May Lead to Shutdown of VA Library
Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read program director at PEN America, said: “What is happening in Front Royal, Virginia should serve as a wake up call for anyone who cares… More
Temporary Ruling to Halt Implementation of TX Law on Book Ratings is a Victory for the Freedom to Read
Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read program director at PEN America, said: “We welcome this decision to temporarily halt the implementation of HB 900. This law, which forces private companies… More
It’s Not Just Florida: 4 New ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Laws Passed in 2023
Teachers in North Carolina, Arkansas, Iowa, and Indiana are beginning their school years newly stripped of their right to say “gay.” More