PEN America Cancels 2024 World Voices Festival
“The idea that only those who adhere to a particular ideology or worldview are worthy of engagement is inimical to the spirit of PEN America and World Voices,” said… More
Legal Filing by PEN America Urges Appeals Court to Uphold Injunction Against Iowa’s Book Ban Law
Katie Blankenship, director of PEN America’s Florida office, said: “Under the guise of protecting children from so-called age-inappropriate content, laws like SF496 are a smokescreen for censorship of constitutionally-protected… More
More Than 300 Book Titles Banned by Collier County, FL, Including Literary Classics by Aldous Huxley, Ralph Ellison and Joseph Heller
“We are saddened for the students of Collier County Public Schools that so many titles, including renowned literary classics and contemporary young adult works are banned from student access,”… More
On Prison Art and Music
PEN America Prison and Justice Writing Program Manager Robbie Pollock highlights three projects centered on making music from prison: Heartbeat Opera, Die Jim Crow Records, and a recent book… More
PEN America, in Partnership with The Bare Life Review Journal, Announces $5000 Grants to Support Works in Progress by Immigrant and Refugee Writers
We have long admired the work of The Bare Life Review and are deeply honored to have this opportunity to support the work of immigrant and refugee writers. We… More
The Legacy of Martin Sostre (1923-2015)
Moira Marquis pays homage to Martin Sostre, a self-taught jailhouse lawyer who won several lawsuits against censorship to secure the rights of incarcerated people. More
An Interview with Chicago Books to Women in Prison
PEN America’s Moira Marquis interviews Chicago Books to Women in Prison to learn more about why they choose to work exclusively with women’s prisons. More
PEN America’s World Voices Festival Presents Conversations in Los Angeles with Great Writers, Thinkers, Artists, and Activists May 10-13
Allison Lee, PEN America’s Los Angeles managing director, said: “Bringing writers and creatives together with perspectives from across the globe makes this annual literary festival uniquely inspiring and aligned… More
On Bridgeworks Oregon’s “Prisons Have a Long Memory: Life Inside Oregon’s Oldest Prison”
Moira Marquis reviews Tracy D. Schlapp and Danny Wilson's "Prisons Have a Long Memory: Life Inside Oregon's Oldest Prison" (Bridgeworks Oregon, 2022). More
Where It Hurts: How Book Bans Restrict Access to Healthcare
Kwaneta Harris explains how book bans restrict people who are incarcerated from learning about their reproductive health and other areas of healthcare. More
Support for the freedom to read with exclusive designs by Todd Parr, Mike Curato, Art Spiegelman, and more!
