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Nikki Grimes and Padma Venkatraman headshots

PEN Pals: Nikki Grimes and Padma Venkatraman Discuss Challenged Books

InterviewNovember 2, 2021

“I created my [Dyamonde Daniel book] series so that emerging Black readers would see themselves represented in that genre.” More

Zakiya Dalila Harris headshot and “The Other Black Girl” book cover

The PEN Pod: The Other Black Girl with Zakiya Dalila Harris

InterviewJune 11, 2021

“I’d always wanted to be a writer before working in publishing. . . . I was also feeling fatigued as the only Black woman on my floor and in… More

Brian Broome headshot

The PEN Ten: An Interview with Brian Broome

Interview
By: Viviane Eng | May 20, 2021

“I’m trying to tell the truth every chance I get. Storytelling in front of an audience has become a big part of that.” More

Headshots and names of Kaitlyn Greenidge, Saidiya V. Hartman, Fatima Shaik, and Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf with multicolor ripped paper on bottom edge

Mining History

Thursday, May 20, 2021 | 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm ET
 More Information
Headshots and names of Robert Jones Jr., Kiese Laymon, and Brian Broome with multicolor ripped paper on bottom edge

Black Abundance and Radical Love

Saturday, May 22, 2021 | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET
 More Information
Hanif Abdurraqib headshot

The PEN Ten: An Interview with Hanif Abdurraqib

Interview
By: Viviane Eng | April 1, 2021

“I’ve needed stories as a way to keep loved ones alive, as a way to contextualize histories, as a way to push back against things I was told to… More

Renée Watson headshot

The PEN Ten: An Interview with Renée Watson

Interview
By: Viviane Eng | February 4, 2021

“Writing from a true place for me is more about creating stories that resonate with my readers so that even if they’ve never been in that particular circumstance, they… More

Celebrating Debuts from Black LGBTQIA+ Authors Reading List Book Covers

Celebrating Debuts from Black LGBTQIA+ Authors: A Pride Month Reading List

Recommended Reading

This reading list, which aims to amplify the voices of recently debuted Black queer writers, establishes a foundation for how we might reimagine the future. More

The PEN Pod: On The Importance of Centering Marginalized Narratives with Jaquira Díaz

InterviewJune 17, 2020

“I would hope that they would find in my story that my story was not unique, that so many of us go through this suffering in silence.” More

Black Literature Reading List Book Covers

Black Literature – Past, Present, and Future: A Reading List

Recommended Reading

This week’s reading list features a mix of classic and contemporary novels, essay collections, and poetry collections from Black authors. More

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  • What's New
PEN America Responds to Florida School District’s Offer to Remove LGBTQ Pages from Yearbook
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Grace E. Lavery
PEN America Decries Continued Imprisonment of Poet Galal El-Behairy, Who is Prepared to Escalate his Hunger Strike by Refusing Water
PEN America Defends as Protected Speech a City University of New York Law Student’s Commencement Criticism of Israel and New York Police

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