Tennessee book ban opponents to receive Courage Award at PEN America gala
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
NEW YORK (AP) — A coalition of Tennessee activists who have become known nationwide for fighting book bans will be honored by PEN America next month at its annual gala.
The literary and free expression organization announced Wednesday that the Rutherford County Library Alliance, based in Murfreesboro, will be presented the PEN/Benenson Courage Awards on May 14. The alliance was formed in response to a local “decency ordinance” passed in 2023 that sought to maintain “family-friendly environments in public places” and protect “against harm to minors.”
The ordinance was pulled after the city settled a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and others over the alleged suppression of free speech. But censorship efforts have continued. The Rutherford County Library Board voted in March to move more than 100 LGBTQ-themed books from the children’s section to the adult area for allegedly promoting “gender confusion.”
Alliance Vice President Keri Lambert and communications director Tatiana Silvas will accept the prize on behalf of their organization. Previous recipients include Salman Rushdie, Wesleyan University President Michael S. Roth and Florida student activist Jack Petocz.
“This award recognizes the courage of people who stepped forward when it mattered most, as the freedom to read came under attack in their own communities,” Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, PEN America’s co-CEO, said in a statement. “Keri Lambert and Tatiana Silvas organized their neighbors, spoke out in the face of intimidation, and defended books even as those efforts carried grim consequences, including the firing of a library director who believed in fair access to books.”
The PEN event will be held at the American Museum of Natural History, with other honorees including author Ann Patchett and film producer Jason Blum.