Allison Lee Joins PEN America as Los Angeles Director to Drive Engagement with Writers to Defend Free Expression
Allison Lee said: “I’ve spent my career with human rights as my north star. My goal is to work closely with LA’s vibrant community of writers, screenwriters, directors, and… More
Virginia State Judge Affirms First Amendment Rights in Ruling on Obscenity Lawsuit Targeting Books
“This decision is a victory for our Constitution and the vast majority of Americans who believe in preserving a free society and unfettered access to literature. The open exchange… More
Artist Jenny Holzer to Light Up Rockefeller Center in Tribute to PEN America’s 100 Years of Defending Free Expression
Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, said: “Because her work reifies and celebrates words, there could not be an artist more fitting to celebrate PEN America’s centenary than the… More
PEN America Convenes Celebrated Authors Sept. 12 in NYC for “Words on Fire: Writing, Freedom, and the Future” Symposium
PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel says, “The murderous attack on Salman Rushdie marks a watershed moment for our organization. Coming in the middle of our 100th anniversary year, it… More
Removal of 327 Books with LGBTQ+ Themes by TN School District Is “Heartbreaking” Censorship
Jeremy C. Young, senior manager of free expression and education programs at PEN America, said in response to the news: “This is a heartbreaking case of administrative censorship and… More
PEN America Calls for Immediate Release of Burmese Artist and Activist Htein Lin Detained in Yangon
“The arbitrary and sudden arrests of Vicky Bowman and Htein Lin are yet more examples of the sweeping and abusive power that the military junta has wielded since its… More
Sept. 2 Launch of Birmingham Reads with Imani Perry’s South to America as First Title; Kick Off Event at Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Ashley M Jones, poet laureate of Alabama and co-chapter leader of PEN Birmingham, said: “By reading one book of fiction or nonfiction in one given year and then discussing… More
For First Time, Oklahoma Education Officials Punish Two School Districts for Violating Gag Order on Teaching Race and Gender
“This case demonstrates the dangerous chilling effect gag orders can have,” said Jeremy C. Young, senior manager for free expression and education at PEN America and author of the… More
PEN America Calls for the Immediate Release of Vietnamese Human Rights Defender Pham Doan Trang, and Raises Grave Concerns For Her Health
“The unjust imprisonment of Pham Doan Trang on the arbitrary charge of anti-state propaganda is, unfortunately, another example of the Vietnamese government’s persecution of journalists and human rights defenders… More
Grave Concern for Poet Zhang Guiqi, Sentenced to Six Years in Prison, for Calling on Xi Jinping to Step Down
PEN America and the Independent Chinese PEN Centre condemn the conviction of poet Zhang Guiqi and calls for his immediate release. More