These Books Are Banned in Urbandale, Iowa School District
PEN America sent an open letter to the Urbandale, Iowa school district to reverse an order to remove a list of nearly 400 titles. Here are some of the… More
PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression This Week
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
Letter to Congress Opposing Federal Law to Impose a Ban on TikTok
If passed by Congress and enacted into law, a nationwide ban on TikTok would have serious ramifications for free expression in the digital sphere, infringing on Americans’ First Amendment… More
PEN America supports challenge to DeSantis’ ‘Stop WOKE’ law
PEN America filed an Amicus brief in Honeyfund v. DeSantis, saying the law had a “profound chilling effect,” not only on employers like Honeyfund, but on educators across the… More
Book Lovers Stage Read-In at State Capitol for ‘Let Utah Read’
PEN America was among the organizers of the protest against a rise in book bans in Utah. More
Laws restricting drag shows should scare everyone who believes in free expression
A wave of bills restricting free expression is building in state legislatures. This time, the target is drag performances. More
PEN America 2022 in Review: How We Defended Free Expression
In PEN America’s 100th year, our mission was as vital as ever. We celebrated words, and we fought for the right to be heard. With your help, we can… More
PEN America Calls on Algerian Authorities to Explain Arrest of Writer Lazhari Labter or Release Him
“The arrest of Lazhari Labter signals a growing threat against all writers in Algeria,” said Veronica Tien, Writers at Risk manager in the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center at… More
PEN America Condemns Arrest of Iranian Writers and Translators, Another Attack on the Iranian Writers Associaton
"While the official justification for their arrest has not been announced, it is obvious that Iranian authorities have targeted Mohtadi and Asadollahi because of their vital contributions through writing,… More
Truth-Telling And Its Dire Consequences: PEN America Hosts Conversation with Writers Targeted by Authoritarians Around the Globe
The difficult plight of writers living under authoritarian rule has been well-documented over decades, with some enduring impossibly harsh treatment for their truth-telling and resistance to repression. More
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