Words on Fire: Authors Sound Alarm to Defend Free Speech
PEN America Symposium Celebrates 100 Years of Defending Free Expression and the Power of the Written Word By Suzanne Trimel (NEW YORK) -- As leading literary luminaries gathered to celebrate PEN… More
Jenny Holzer Art Installation to Light Up Rockefeller Center Buildings with Prose in Celebration of PEN America’s 100th Birthday, Starting Wed., 9/14
The outdoor installation, titled SPEECH ITSELF, will include quotes from more than 60 authors in a visual tribute to the right to express ourselves freely. Among the authors whose… More
Celebrated Authors Gather Mon., Sept. 12 for “Words on Fire: Writing, Freedom, and the Future”
MEDIA ADVISORY (NEW YORK) — PEN America presents Words on Fire: Writing, Freedom, and the Future, an afternoon of urgent public conversation on the issues that drive the world’s leading… More
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
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
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
His Fellow Writers—Some Among His Closest Friends—Gather to Read Salman Rushdie’s Words and Raise His Spirits at a New York Citadel of Books
[caption id="attachment_224117" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MANHATTAN, NY, AUGUST 19, 2022 PEN America holds a rally in support of writer Salman Rushdie at the New York Public Library in Manhattan, NY.… More
PEN America Condemns “Grotesque” Sentencing of Saudi Student to 34 Years in Prison for Her Tweets
PEN America condemns the imprisonment of Salma Al-Shehab, who was sentenced to 34 years in prison for her Twitter activity. More