Press About Pen
Days before Trump inauguration, writers gather to celebrate the power of language
Just after noon on Sunday, hundreds of people stood on downtown Boston’s broad, bustling Boylston Street, patiently waiting in a line that snaked around the corner and out of… More
Writers use poetry and prose in protest of Trump’s election
The “promise of democracy” that Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about in his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech feels very distant today, but not just because of the… More
Twin Cities writers join nationwide ‘literary protests’ against Trump
Dozens of local writers, poets and academics gathered in Minneapolis on Sunday night as a local installment of Writers Resist, a series of about 90 "literary protests" held around… More
Writers Resist lifts Nashville voices for freedom, justice
Less than a week from the presidential inauguration, clamorous political discourse continues. The divide seems to grow deeper. But buried deep between the passionate exchanges about the Affordable Care Act, or… More
Inauguration sparks writers to lead protest
Just after the November election, Erin Belieu was watching MSNBC when she found herself outraged by an exchange. Network commentators, noting incoming president Donald Trump’s disregard for facts, suggested… More
Famous Writers Plan A ‘Literary Protest’ On The Steps Of The New York Public Library
PEN America, an organization built around a desire to defend open expression in the U.S., is preparing a “literary protest” in the most likely of places: the steps of… More
PEN America Reveals Longlist for the 2017 Literary Awards
PEN America has revealed the longlists for its 2017 Literary Awards.rnrnThe awards include nine book award longlists. Prizes include: Debut Fiction PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award; PEN Open… More
Jailed Egyptian novelist Ahmed Naji’s appeal delayed
In May, more than 120 prominent international writers and artists, including Philip Roth, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Patti Smith, Woody Allen and Stephen Sondheim, called on Sisi to release Naji… More
Opposition to “offensive” speech on campuses will ultimately burn dissidents
PEN America, the literary and human rights association that lists as one of its core principles a commitment to "protect open expression in the United States and worldwide," set… More
Marginalized Voices Need Free Speech More Than Anyone, Including on College Campuses
When PEN America released its report on the state of free speech on college campuses last October, The New York Times framed it as a warning to staunch supporters… More
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