Penguin Random House’s Save Our Stories Supper Ignites Action Against Book Bans

On Monday night, Penguin Random House hosted a powerful and urgent gathering at  Washington, D.C.’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library: the Save Our Stories Supper. 

The private event celebrated stories that are facing bans across the US and was an urgent call-to-action against censorship during Banned Books Week. By bringing together authors, educators, journalists, and changemakers, the dinner itself was a stand against the growing wave of book bans sweeping the nation. 

“This is a critical moment for our industry, when defending the First Amendment and the freedom to read has never been more urgent. Penguin Random House will always stand firmly for free expression and continue to champion a free and open exchange of ideas,” said Penguin Random House CEO Nihar Malaviya. 

PEN America has documented nearly 7,000 book bans in the 2024–25 school year, with many more titles quietly removed out of fear. That number doesn’t account for the growing wave of silent censorship sweeping our schools, where educators preemptively pull books from shelves out of fear—often stories that center people of color and/or LGBTQ+ communities. From these communities and beyond, the evening spotlighted the critical role of storytelling in shaping identity, preserving history, and defending democracy. 

Voices Unite for the Freedom to Read

The event kicked off with opening remarks from Skip Dye, SVP & Director, Sales Operations & Library Sales, Sales & Merchandising, and chair of Penguin Random House’s Intellectual Freedom Taskforce, where he leads initiatives to champion freedom of expression and supports libraries nationwide. Cree Myles, curator of All Ways Black, a Penguin Random House platform dedicated to celebrating Black literature and authors, served as the emcee throughout the night, introducing each group of speakers. 

Guests included PBS Resident Librarian and the new host of Reading Rainbow, Mychal Threets, Austin Channing Brown, Ibram X. Kendi, Malinda Lo, and James Baldwin’s nephews Trevor Baldwin and Karim Karefa-Smart, President of the American Federation of Teachers and author of the new book WHY FASCISTS FEAR TEACHERS Randi Weingarten, and Kurt Vonnegut’s children Mark and Nannette Vonnegut, among many others. Many shared moving reflections on the power of stories to shape identity, expand perspectives, and spark connection – and what’s at stake when we lose access to them.

Quotes From the Evening 

“Banning books is banning stories. Banning stories is banning existence. Banning existence is banning hope. Book bans declare that some stories don’t deserve to be heard or deserve to be told. And I refuse to believe that. No voice should ever be silenced. No voice should ever be made to feel invisible. Together, we have the joy of uplifting stories. Sharing stories is my favorite way to celebrate one another, to see one another, and to hear one another.”

-Mychal Threets, PBS resident librarian and host for Reading Rainbow

“Banned books save lives. All great art, especially art with enough power, originality, or significance to get banned, comes from the artists who need to tell the truth to save their own lives and make lonely and disaffected people feel less lonely and dissaffected. If there is something worth banning, it might be worth reading.”

-Mark Vonnegut, son of author Kurt Vonnegut

“Sometimes reading the books that everyone is afraid of gives us permission to write the thing that we are afraid of.”

-Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author of many award-winning books

“To ban books is to ban revolutions, societal and internal. To defend banned books is to defend revolutions. To defend revolutions is to defend what brought us the human rights that are frankly slipping away. And there may be no more precious human right than the right to revolutionize ourselves as human beings through the power of the book.”

-Ibram X Kendi, author, professor, anti-racist activist 

“We know the tidal wave is coming. We know that it is going to get harder. This company (Penguin Random House) is built off the work of authors. It continues to exist because of the work of authors. And you can’t forget that. What is so brilliant about what the Intellectual Freedom Team does is, you know it’s not enough to have our backs. You know that you have to take the lead. I really appreciate that and when the resistance comes, you have to keep pushing anyway. And thank you for fighting the good fight on our behalf. Because it’s not easy.” 

-David Levithan, author and founding member of Authors Against Book Bans

“In the last 5 years, small rural libraries have been disproportionately impacted by gross legislation and book bans. In small, rural communities, when a child is LGBTQ or BIPOC and they are seeking out someone with similar needs, someone with a similar life, someone who can offer them direction, oftentimes, there is no community. What they have is the stories that we give them. When we save those stories, we are saving those lives.”

-Sherry Scheline, Director of Donnelly Public Library in Idaho and plaintiff in the lawsuit against Idaho HB 710

“Getting your books banned does not lead to the bestseller list, contrary to popular myth. I don’t think we talk about basic economics enough. When our books are banned, our First Amendment rights are violated, and our voices are directly silenced. The freedom to read is meaningless without the books we create.”

-Malinda Lo, The New York Times Bestselling Author of LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB

“I truly believe that if I can stand up for the freedom to read as a student, then anyone can. Tonight, as we celebrate our right to read and access information, I want to celebrate the people in this room who continue to encourage each other and, most importantly, others. Who continue to show up to the school board meetings, call their representatives, and support our educators – our teachers and librarians – who need it most. Our future of free speech depends on you. So thank you.”

-Hailie Bonz, the first student to sue her state for banning books

…and many more powerful stories. 

Turning Awareness into Action 

The evening not only marked the national celebration of Banned Books Week (October 5-11) but also the launch of Penguin Random House’s third annual Banned Wagon Tour, which will travel through Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, two cities paramount to America’s democracy, to distribute free banned books and empower communities to take action.

The Banned Wagon Tour stops at libraries and bookstores, and attendees can receive free banned books, take direct action through EveryLibrary’s advocacy tools, and join a growing movement to protect the freedom to read.

The Supper also celebrated the Save Our Stories initiative, which empowers readers to donate banned books to underserved communities through their partner First Book. Each donation includes a personal note about a beloved banned book—because sharing stories is how we save them.

These are examples of Penguin Random House’s ongoing efforts to combat book banning and censorship, which also include multiple legal actions, Freedom to Read legislation in more than two dozen states, tailored support for various stakeholders, and advocacy for First Amendment rights. 

To learn more, please visit https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/banned-books/.