Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie’s “Half of A Yellow Sun:” The danger of a single untold story
"Denying students age-appropriate opportunities to read Half of a Yellow Sun in classrooms because the truth is too violent is denying them the opportunity to understand the truth of… More
PEN America Applauds Congressional Resolutions Condemning Book Bans and Affirming the Right to Free Expression in Schools
"Book bans are a blatant affront to free expression, the lifeblood of our democracy,” said Nadine Farid Johnson, managing director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression Programs. “Encroachments… More
Banned in the USA Q&A: Varian Johnson asks if book bans are meant to ‘keep a certain population of our country down’
For Banned Book Week, PEN America interviews Varian Johnson, author of The Parker Inheritance, which has been banned twice in the 2021-2022 school year. More
Banned in the USA Q&A: Kyle Lukoff on the ‘desperate importance’ of fighting book bans
For Banned Book Week, PEN America interviews Kyle Lukoff, author of Call Me Max, which has been banned twice in the 2021-2022 school year. More
Banned in the USA Q&A: Ashley Hope Pérez on how book bans are failing our children
For Banned Book Week, PEN America interviews Ashley Hope Pérez, author of Out of Darkness, which has been banned 23 times in the 2021-2022 school year. More
What Is a Book Ban? And More Frequently Asked Questions
What is a book ban? How is a book ban different from a challenge? What is the history of book bans? We answer frequently asked questions about book bans. More
Banned in the USA Q&A: Kalynn Bayron calls challenges ‘clearly homophobic’
For Banned Book Week, PEN America interviews Kaylnn Bayron, author of Cinderella is Dead, which has been banned at least three times in the 2021-2022 school year. More
Banned in the USA: The Growing Movement to Censor Books in Schools
“More” is the operative word for this report on school book bans, which offers the first comprehensive look at bans throughout the 2021–22 school year. 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