The PEN/Beyond Margins Award celebrates outstanding books by writers of color published in the United States during the previous year.

Sponsored by the Open Book Program, the Beyond Margins Award is one of the many ways in which the Open Book Program encourages racial and ethnic diversity within the literary and publishing communities. The Open Book Committee works to increase the literature by, for, and about African, Arab, Asian, Caribbean, Latin, and Native Americans, and to establish access for these groups to the publishing industry. Its goal is to ensure that those who are the custodians of language and literature are representative of the American people.

2008
The Present Past

Peter Cameron hosted an evening to honor Chris Abani, Amiri Baraka, Frances Hwang, Joseph M. Marshall III, and Naeem Murr, winners of the 2008 PEN/Beyond Margins Award. Featuring audio recordings of readings from Amiri Baraka, Joseph M. Marshall III, Allison Hedge Coke, and Martha Southgate; a conversation between Amiri Baraka, Joseph M. Marshall III, and Peter Cameron; and excerpts from the winner's works. [More]

2007
The Language of Experience

Jaime Manrique and Sonia Sanchez hosted an evening saluting Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ernest Hardy, Harryette Mullen, and Alberto Ríos, winners of 2007 Beyond Margins Awards. Featuring audio recordings and photos from the event, excerpts from the winners’ works, and exclusive online conversations between Harryette Mullen and Erica Hunt, and Elizabeth Nunez and M.G. Vassanji. [More]

2006
Something to Declare

The 2006 Beyond Margins celebration recognized the accomplishments of Richard Blanco, Andrew Lam, Ed Bok Lee, Caryl Phillips, and Jennifer Tseng. Featuring readings by Ron Chernow, Elizabeth Nunez, and Sonia Sanchez. [More] 

2005
Telling the (Whole) Story

Paul Auster and Elizabeth Nunez hosted an evening of readings and discussion, saluting the winners of the 2005 PEN/Beyond Margins Award. Joining in the celebration were writers Esmeralda Santiago and Colin Channer. [More] 

>> See the complete winners archive

PEN is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Beyond Margins Award.


Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

During the day, Fofo encouraged us to play outside the house, saying it would make the infection heal faster. Yet at night, when we needed air the most, he would sigh, lock us in, and tell us that men who would succeed in life knew how to take pain. [More]


Half of the World in Light: New and Selected Poems by Juan Felipe Herrera

His eyeteeth clap like his family
for an encore of southwest earth
wolfed with fever
… Skilled and styled to believe
that Moctezuma blood & spirit
… are dead, as he pumps
a book through his ears. [More]

AUDIO
• Listen to Juan Felipe Herrera read from Half of the World in Light


Changing by Lily Hoang

The day I got that letter that unsigned letter saying: I think you’re a bad person. Please stop lying. Get some social skills. & that I got that letter that unsigned letter on my car & I was more hurt by anonymity than truth. [More]

>> See listings from the complete winners archive