PEN America to Honor Patti Smith, Hearst’s Frank Bennack at 2020 PEN America Literary Gala
PEN America to present the 2020 PEN/Audible Literary Service Award to singer and performer Patti Smith. Hearst's Frank Bennack, Jr. is the 2020 Corporate Honoree. More
PEN America Launches Free Speech 2020
(New York, NY) – Today PEN America launches Free Speech 2020, a yearlong initiative to mobilize writers and readers to elevate free speech issues and defend free expression throughout… More
Proposed Travel Ban Expansion Reprehensible Blow to Free Flow of Ideas
(New York, NY) – The Trump administration's announcement Friday that it will expand its travel ban, placing new visa restrictions on individuals from six additional countries, is a reprehensible blow… More
PEN America Responds to ‘American Dirt’ Controversy
(New York, NY) – Following news that the publisher of American Dirt plans to cancel its book tour, PEN America issued the following statement: “We have been closely following the… More
Washington Post Must Clarify Suspension of Journalist
"Journalists undergoing vicious harassment online need the support of their employers in order to withstand abuse and have the fortitude to continue their work." More
PEN America: Pompeo Attack on NPR Reporter “Betrays Dignity of His Office”
“When the U.S. secretary of state debases and denigrates credible journalists, the display of contempt radiates outward, undermining the role of the press in our democracy and offering autocrats around the world… More
Closure of China’s Largest Independent Film Festival Alarming Sign for Free Expression
(New York, NY) – The announcement that China’s largest independent film festival will shut down is an alarming indication of the tightening chokehold the Chinese government has on arts… More
Writers, Academics, and Free Speech Advocates Call on Babson to Reinstate Professor
“Against a national backdrop in which punishments for speech are chilling open discourse, this draconian outcome risks compounding the constrictions on our public discourse." More
Bill Would Allow Local News Providers to Negotiate With Tech Giants
"It is heartening to see bipartisan support for legislation responding to this crisis, and the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act offers an important opportunity for news outlets to negotiate… More
Restrictions on Journalists During Impeachment Would Jeopardize Press Freedom
“Moments of national crisis require credible and consistent reporting. Instead, Capitol Police and the sergeant-at-arms are jeopardizing press freedom and the public’s right to know." More