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Good News that Wentzville School District Returns 200 Temporarily Banned Books to Shelves But PEN America Raises Concern that 17 Removed Books Are Still Inaccessible

Press ReleaseDecember 22, 2022

“When legislation and threats of criminalization are enacted without guidelines, what we see are librarians and school officials operating out of fear and excess caution,” said Kasey Meehan, program… More

Sweeping Ban on Certain Topics for Library Books in League City, TX has “Harmful Implications”

Press ReleaseDecember 9, 2022

Jonathan Friedman, director of Free Expression and Education programs at PEN America, issued the following comments: "Restricting the purchase and circulation of library materials by government edict is anathema to… More

PEN America Urges NO Vote By Greenville, S.C. County Council on Vaguely-Worded Resolution to Censor Childrens’ Books in Libraries

Press ReleaseNovember 1, 2022

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

Virginia State Judge Affirms First Amendment Rights in Ruling on Obscenity Lawsuit Targeting Books

Press ReleaseAugust 31, 2022

“This decision is a victory for our Constitution and the vast majority of Americans who believe in preserving a free society and unfettered access to literature. The open exchange… More

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  • What's New
PEN America Speaks: How We Defended and Celebrated Free Expression This Week
Scholar-Author Imani Perry on Listening Deeply, Turning 50, Writing About Historical Atrocities and Being a Mother
PEN America Calls on Cooper Union to Reopen an Exhibit on the Legacy of Vkhutemas, a Design School Shuttered by Joseph Stalin
Suspension of Virtual Library App by CA’s Orange Unified School District Is An Overreaction and Sets a Worrisome Precedent

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Retweet on Twitter PEN America Retweeted
salmanrushdie Salman Rushdie @salmanrushdie ·
4 Feb

I’ll be watching! https://twitter.com/vintagebooks/status/1621841377209483269

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penamerica PEN America @penamerica ·
8h

"Amid efforts to restrict books that include race-related themes, several new book clubs have launched around the country to keep literature by Black authors in the spotlight." #BlackHistoryMonth https://www.moultrieobserver.com/news/local_news/black-history-month-black-authors-keep-history-alive-amid-efforts-to-suppress-blackness/article_ff445067-f6a1-5ad9-892b-360850922553.html via @themobserver

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Retweet on Twitter PEN America Retweeted
_richardhall Richard Hall @_richardhall ·
12h

Read our story on the DeSantis book bans ⬇️ https://twitter.com/penamerica/status/1621508379586985985

Reply on Twitter 1622296009710657537 Retweet on Twitter 1622296009710657537 3 Like on Twitter 1622296009710657537 6 Twitter 1622296009710657537
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