Fear that New Texas Policy Will Limit Books Allowed in Prisons
(NEW YORK)— Without notification, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has apparently implemented an “approved vendor” policy for its prisons, a type of censorship that PEN America opposes… More
New Report: Book Bans Spike by 33% Over Last School Year
“The toll of the book banning movement is getting worse. More kids are losing access to books, more libraries are taking authors off the shelves, and opponents of free… More
PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression The Week of September 4
PEN America works tirelessly to defend free expression, support persecuted writers, and promote literary culture. Here are some of the latest ways PEN America is speaking out. More
Temporary Ruling to Halt Implementation of TX Law on Book Ratings is a Victory for the Freedom to Read
Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read program director at PEN America, said: “We welcome this decision to temporarily halt the implementation of HB 900. This law, which forces private companies… More
PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression The Week of July 24
PEN America works tirelessly to defend free expression, support persecuted writers, and promote literary culture. Here are some of the latest ways PEN America is speaking out. PEN America hosted… More
The Culture Wars Are Coming for College Accreditation
An aspect of higher education governance has increasingly been targeted in legislative censorship efforts: college and university accreditation. More
New Report: Communities Can Counter Disinformation by Taking Local and Cultural Context Into Account
Kate Ruane, director, Sy Syms U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America, said: “Much of the conversation about how to counter disinformation pays insufficient attention to how people actually… More
Damascus James on Witnessing, Letter Writing, and Solitary Confinement
Damascus James, editor of "TEXAS LETTERS," speaks with PEN America's "Works of Justice" podcast about what he learned from people who are in solitary confinement in Texas prisons. More
New Report: 28% Rise in School Book Bans Over First Half of 2022-23 School Year
“The heavy-handed tactics of state legislators are mandating book bans, plain and simple,” said Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer of PEN America. “Some politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis… More
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