Stephen Colbert Receives Anti-Censorship Award

Stephen Colbert has been honored with an anti-censorship award following the conclusion of his 11-year tenure as host of The Late Show, which was cancelled by CBS in May due to financial reasons. This explanation has been questioned by Colbert and others, particularly given the timing after his vocal criticism of former US President Donald Trump.

The award was announced on Wednesday as part of the 47th American Book Awards, organized by the Before Columbus Foundation, a California-based non-profit founded by Ishmael Reed to promote diversity in American literature and culture. Colbert shared this recognition with Mitchell Kaplan, founder of the independent bookstore chain Books & Books.

Other award recipients included Morgan Entrekin and Roger Malina, along with various authors recognized for their literary contributions. The foundation aims to celebrate literary excellence across the spectrum of American voices, emphasizing diversity without quotas.