Record Number of Writers Jailed Worldwide in 2023
There were 339 writers from 33 countries jailed in 2023, an increase of 62 writers compared to 2022 and 101 more than in 2019. More
Banning Al Jazeera is a Clear Violation of Free Expression and Press Freedom
"The Israeli government’s decision to shut down Al Jazeera’s operation in Israel is a clear violation of press freedom." More
PEN America Response to Free Speech Bill Pending in Israeli Knesset
Israeli lawmakers must step back from broadening an already concerning campaign against free expression in Israel. More
101-Year-Old Grace Linn: ‘Banning Books and Burning Books Are the Same’
Others protesting book bans have held up signs in protest. Grace Linn held up a quilt. The 101-year-old talked to PEN America about the importance of spreading the word… More
The Topics Teachers Are Too Afraid to Teach
Frederick Douglass, women’s suffrage, jazz and the blues, Batman, reproductive biology, philosophy. In states with restrictive educational policies, teachers and professors have questioned if they are allowed to teach… More
PEN America: ‘Distressing’ That Indiana Library Is Moving Teen Books to the Adult Section
PEN America expressed distress over the decision by Indiana’s Hamilton East Public Library to move more than 1,300 Young Adult books to its adult section under a new policy… More
‘Rainbowland’ Teacher Melissa Tempel Prepares Lawsuit
Melissa Tempel was fired after tweeting that her first-graders weren't allowed to sing 'Rainbowland.' Now she's speaking out. More
PEN America: ‘This escalating battle for control over free expression in education should worry us all’
PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel testified that the rise in educational gag orders and "escalating battle for control over free expression in education should worry us all." More
Oklahoma teacher is still fighting book bans, now from Brooklyn
Summer Boismier lost her job after she gave students a QR code to the Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned project. Now she’s helping teens fight book bans. More
Support for the freedom to read with exclusive designs by Todd Parr, Mike Curato, Art Spiegelman, and more!
