Actress and Bestselling Author Hilarie Burton Morgan to Moderate Writers Discussion at Oct. 11 Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards

Strategic Insights -

Acclaimed actress and bestselling author Hilarie Burton Morgan will moderate a panel discussion among honored authors at the Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards on October 11th. The ceremony will take place at The Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie, New York, and is open to the public. Ten authors, including celebrated author Margaret Atwood, will be recognized for their work in the face of censorship. Burton's own writing experience, including her memoirs and essays, will bring a unique perspective to the discussion.

Key Takeaways:

  • Actress and bestselling author Hilarie Burton Morgan will moderate a panel discussion at the Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards on October 11th.
  • The ceremony will take place at The Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie, New York, and is open to the public.
  • Ten authors, including Margaret Atwood, will be honored for their work despite censorship efforts.
  • Since 2021, PEN America has documented over 16,000 book bans in public schools nationwide, a level of censorship unseen since the McCarthy era Red Scare of the 1950s.
  • Author and PEN America President Jennifer Finney Boylan will give the keynote address at the awards.
  • The Eleanor Roosevelt Center and PEN America are co-presenting the awards, alongside sponsoring organizations Freedom To Read Foundation, The Freedom to Learn Foundation, Sourcebooks, and Oblong Books.
  • The event aims to promote intellectual freedom and celebrate the power of literature to transform society.

Statistics:

  • Over 16,000 book bans have been documented in public schools nationwide since 2021, according to PEN America.
  • The Eleanor Roosevelt Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to honoring Eleanor Roosevelt's legacies and values.
  • The awards ceremony will recognize ten authors, including Margaret Atwood, for their work in the face of censorship.

Sources:

  • "Actress and Bestselling Author Hilarie Burton Morgan to Moderate Writers Discussion at Oct. 11 Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards" (PEN America press release)
  • "About the Eleanor Roosevelt Center" (Eleanor Roosevelt Center website, ervk.org)
  • "About PEN America" (PEN America website, pen.org)