abfe. ABA’s Free Expression Initiative
This nonprofit will be dedicated to protecting the right to read, promoting free expression, and supporting diversity in literature and bookselling.
HARRISON, NY, UNITED STATES, June 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — This new nonprofit will be dedicated to protecting the right to read, promoting free expression in the United States, and supporting diversity in literature and bookselling. ABA’s legislative advocacy supporting free expression will continue through ABA’s advocacy department.
Going forward, ABFE donations may be tax-deductible and ABFE will be eligible for grants to help support its work.
In the past, ABA’s free expression education, advocacy, and resources have focused on equipping independent bookstores. As ABA continues to do that essential work, ABFE will get at the root of the issue, empowering the public to understand and strengthen the fundamental right to free expression. We will now be able to expand our public-facing resources, offer webinars for broader audiences, grow our social media presence, and participate in more public events.
“Establishing ABFE as a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit is an exciting opportunity for ABA to expand its free expression work to meet this crucial moment — a time when the right to read, free expression, and diversity in literature and bookselling are under attack in the United States,” said Allison Hill, CEO of ABA and Chair of the ABFE Board. “We look forward to offering education to a broader community of readers and citizens about the importance of diverse books and access to books, the value of reading and authors, and readers’ rights.”
Founding ABFE Board members include Allison Hill, Philomena Polefrone, Ray Daniels, and Dave Grogan from ABA, as well as:
Maggie Tokuda-Hall, an award winning and bestselling children’s and young adult book author, and a former independent bookseller. She is a founding member and national leader of Authors Against Book Bans.
David Horowitz, a longtime champion of First Amendment rights. He has been the Executive Director of Media Coalition — an association that defends the First Amendment rights of authors, publishers, booksellers and librarians, producers and retailers of films, home video and video games — since 1998. He holds a JD from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law.
ABFE was originally founded in 1990 as a 501(c)(3). In 2014, it merged with ABA. Now, as a new 501(c)(3) with a shared services agreement with ABA, ABFE is optimally positioned for its next era.
For more information about ABFE or ABA’s free expression work on behalf of booksellers, contact abfe@bookweb.org or visit BookWeb.
Donations to ABFE can be made at bookweb.org/advocacy.
Ray Daniels
American Booksellers Association
+1 202-669-3039
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