PEN America - The Freedom to Write
PEN America was created more than 100 years ago for writers and they remain at the heart of what we do. We support them with grants, fellowships, awards, workshops, and quality public …
Banned Books List 2025 - PEN America
Oct 1, 2025 · What books are banned in 2025? Thousands of titles have been removed from public schools across the country. PEN America has documented nearly 23,000 book bans in …
Federal Government's Growing Banned Words List Is Chilling Act …
Oct 1, 2025 · PEN America initially compiled a list of more than 250 words and phrases reportedly no longer considered acceptable by the Trump administration, from “abortion,” to “women,” …
Home - PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide.
The History of PEN - PEN America
In the aftermath of the Attica prison uprising, American PEN establishes the PEN Prison Writing Program to amplify the work of writers who are creating while incarcerated in the United States.
2025 PEN America Literary Gala
The proceeds from our annual galas are crucial to PEN America’s dynamic cultural programming and critical advocacy work. Join with the hundreds of gala attendees in celebrating free …
Banned in the USA: Beyond the Shelves - PEN America
Nov 1, 2024 · PEN America analyzed the content of every book banned in two or more districts in the 2023-24 school year, or 1,091 unique titles. This is approximately 25 percent of the total …
The Normalization of Book Banning - PEN America
Oct 1, 2025 · Accessibility forms the core of PEN America’s definition of a school book ban and emphasizes the multiple ways book bans infringe on the rights of students, professional …
PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award
The PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award celebrates writing that exemplifies literary excellence on the subject of the physical or biological sciences and communicates complex …
Authors' Evenings - PEN America
PEN America has hosted literary icons like Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, and Claudia Rankine as well as new generations of luminaries including former PEN America President Ayad …