PEN America: U.S. Is Experiencing the Biggest Attack on First Amendment Rights ‘in Generations’
PEN America testified that the United States is experiencing "the broadest attack on First Amendment rights in schools and universities this country has seen in generations." More
These books are banned in Martin County, Florida
Last week, Martin County, Florida, released a list of dozens of books it had removed from school libraries, including 20 books by Jodi Picoult, nine books from James Patterson's… More
Derrick Barnes Calls Canceling School Visits Cowardly
Award-winning author Derrick Barnes’ school visits to Alabama were canceled after the superintendent called him a “controversial guy.” More
The Most Banned Picture Books of the 2021-2022 School Year
These are the most banned picture books of the 2021-2022 school year. Several are nonfiction, including histories of civil rights and gay pride. Others are lighthearted fiction about animals… More
Florida Book Bans: Why Are There Empty Shelves in Florida Schools?
You may have seen pictures of empty bookshelves in Florida classrooms, or heard about book bans across the state. What’s happening now is that new laws passed last year in… More
Oklahoma teacher is still fighting book bans, now from Brooklyn
Summer Boismier lost her job after she gave students a QR code to the Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned project. Now she’s helping teens fight book bans. More
The Absurd Year in Educational Censorship, From Gay Penguins to the Gettysburg Address
It has been an absurd year for educational censorship. More
These 176 Books Were Banned in Duval County, Florida
PEN America presented a joint letter with We Need Diverse Books and authors and illustrators of 176 books removed from classrooms in Duval County, Florida, in January 2022 for… More
Spiegelman, Atwood Among Signers of PEN America Letter Against Missouri Book Bans
Art Spiegelman, Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Lois Lowry, Roxane Gay, Rupi Kaur, and Alison Bechdel are among the authors and illustrators who signed a PEN America open letter protesting… 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