PEN America

For the journal, see PEN America (journal).

PEN America
Formation1922; 102 years ago (1922)
TypeLiterary society, human rights organization[1]
Legal status501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
PurposePublication, advocacy, literary awards[1]
HeadquartersNew York, New York, US
Location
  • New York City, U.S.
Coordinates40°43′30″N 73°59′50″W / 40.724920°N 73.997163°W / 40.724920; -73.997163
Membership
Private
Official language
English
CEO
Suzanne Nossel
President
Jennifer Finney Boylan[2]
Key people
Board of Trustees[1]
Parent organization
PEN International
AffiliationsInternational Freedom of Expression Exchange
Websitepen.org Edit this at Wikidata

PEN America (formerly PEN American Center), founded in 1922,[3] and headquartered in New York City, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization[4] whose goal is to raise awareness for the protection of free expression in the United States and worldwide through the advancement of literature and human rights. PEN America is the largest of the more than 100 PEN centers worldwide that together compose PEN International.[1] PEN America has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and since late 2023 also in Florida.[5]

PEN America's advocacy includes work on educational censorship,[6] press freedom and the safety of writers, campus free speech, online harassment, artistic freedom, and support to regions of the world with challenges to freedom of expression.[7] PEN America also campaigns for individual writers and journalists who have been imprisoned or come under threat for their work and annually presents the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award.[8]

PEN America hosts public programming and events on literature and human rights, including the PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature and the annual PEN America Literary Awards, sometimes referred to as the "Oscars of Books."[9][10] PEN America also works to amplify underrepresented voices, including emerging authors and writers who are undocumented, incarcerated,[11] or face obstacles in reaching audiences.[12]

The organization's name was conceived as an acronym: Poets, Essayists, Novelists (later broadened to Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, Novelists). As membership expanded to include a more diverse range of people involved in literature and freedom of expression, the name ceased to be an acronym in the United States.[1]

PEN America celebrated its centenary in 2022 with an event featuring authors Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Margaret Atwood, Jennifer Finney Boylan, and Dave Eggers; an exhibition at the New York Historical Society;[13] and a large light-projection by the artist Jenny Holzer at the Rockefeller Center.[14][15]

  1. ^ a b c d e "About Us". pen.org. PEN America. September 20, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  2. ^ Harris, Elizabeth A. (December 11, 2023). "Jennifer Finney Boylan to Lead PEN America". The New York TImes. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  3. ^ "PEN America at 100: Writers' organization shares treasures at the New-York Historical Society". Our Town. July 29, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  4. ^ "Pen American Center Inc | Designated as a 501(c)(3)". projects.propublica.org. ProPublica. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  5. ^ Maher, John (November 14, 2023). "PEN America Will Open an Office in Florida". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  6. ^ "Educational Censorship". PEN America. August 17, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  7. ^ "Free Expression Focus Issues". pen.org. PEN America. December 12, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  8. ^ "PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award". pen.org. PEN America. May 15, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  9. ^ "Inside the "Oscars for Books," the PEN America Literary Awards". Vanity Fair. March 6, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  10. ^ "Literary Awards". pen.org. PEN America. September 20, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  11. ^ "Readings from the 2022 PEN America Prison Writing Awards Anthology". Literary Hub. May 12, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Prison & Justice Writing". pen.org. PEN America. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  13. ^ Nawotka |, Ed. "PEN America Marks 100 Years". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  14. ^ Sutton, Benjamin (September 16, 2022). "Jenny Holzer projection takes over Rockefeller Center in support of freedom of expression". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  15. ^ Schuessler, Jennifer (September 13, 2022). "At PEN America, a Complicated Centennial for Free Speech". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 20, 2023.