Manuscripts Don’t Burn: a Timeline of Literary Censorship, Destruction, and Liberation
As we reach a new turning point in the history of book banning, PEN America has compiled a timeline of the most notorious acts of censorship and how we've… More
Readings by Noted Authors Headline 6/6 Florida Event Celebrating Books Challenged in Miami-Dade County Schools, including The Hill We Climb by Poet Amanda Gorman
Jonathan Friedman, director of PEN America’s Free Expression and Education program, said: "The fact that a bogus challenge from a single individual can get books banned goes to the… More
Florida School District Pulls Amanda Gorman’s Widely-Praised “The Hill We Climb” from Library
“The Hill We Climb was widely praised after Amanda Gorman read it at President Biden’s inauguration. Today, access to the book has been limited for elementary students at a… More
“Alarming” Proposed Florida Law Heightens Oversight of Classroom Libraries, Expands Mechanism to Challenge a Book
“This is an alarming piece of legislation that would make it possible for a single parent in a district to enact a ban on any book simply by challenging… More
“Let Utah Read” Event Jan. 25 Celebrates the Freedom to Read, As it Falls Under Attack from Book Bans
Books are under profound attack in the United States and in Utah. Since the passage of HB 374 in 2022, book banning and book challenges have increased dramatically across… 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
PEN America Finds Missouri Schools Banned Nearly 300 Books Since August, in Response to New Law Criminalizing “Explicit Sexual Material”
The letter reminds school district officials that, “Book bans limit opportunities for students to see themselves in literature and to build empathy for experiences different from their own. They… More
PEN America Urges NO Vote By Greenville, S.C. County Council on Vaguely-Worded Resolution to Censor Childrens’ Books in Libraries
Jonathan Friedman, director of PEN America’s Free Expression and Education program, made the following comments: “If passed, this resolution would be an exercise in censorship--ordering the Greenville County Library System… More
A Tip Sheet for Librarians Facing Harassment
This guide will help librarians mobilize and respond when there are campaigns to remove their books from their shelves that devolve into harassment. More
Margaret Atwood Unveils Fireproof Copy of Bestseller The Handmaid’s Tale To Be Auctioned by Sotheby’s in Support of PEN America
‘Powerful Words Can Never Be Extinguished’ (NEW YORK)--Nearly 700 supporters of PEN America's work to defend free expression reacted with cheers and applause at the organization's annual gala tonight after… More
Alert Us
Are you an artist at risk or know someone who is?