American Booksellers for Free Expression
The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) is the advocacy branch of the American Booksellers Association (ABA), established to uphold the First Amendment rights of those in the bookselling industry. Founded to address various free expression challenges, the ABFFE actively engages in issues related to censorship and the regulation of expression, particularly in the realm of literature and publishing. Notably, in 1996, the foundation joined forces with other organizations to contest the Communications Decency Act, which aimed to impose restrictions on online speech.
ABFFE also plays a significant role in promoting Banned Books Week, an annual event that highlights the importance of free access to literature. The foundation provides resources and support to booksellers facing censorship, reinforcing the belief that they should not be held accountable for the content they offer. Additionally, ABFFE organizes discussions at ABA conferences to enhance awareness of free speech issues. Through these efforts, the ABFFE advocates for a diverse literary landscape and seeks to protect the rights of individuals to read and sell books freely.
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
Founded: 1990
Type of organization: Advocacy branch of the American Booksellers Association
Significance: This organization has worked for full First Amendment protections of the arts, publishing, and Internet computer communications
The ABFFE was founded to serve as the free expression arm of the American Booksellers Association (ABA), a national organization founded in 1901 to serve bookstores and sellers. The foundation’s mission was to ensure full First Amendment protections of people in the bookselling industry. The ABFFE has been active in all areas of First Amendment issues. In 1996 for example, it worked with similar groups to protest the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which proposed to regulate many forms of expression on the Internet.
Dedicated to the principle that booksellers and publishers cannot be held responsible for criminal acts, the ABFFE has stood ready to support individual book retailers who face censorship challenges because of what they sell. At the ABA conferences it has held panel discussions on free speech issues. ABFFE has also been a strong supporter of Banned Books Week and it has produced information supplies to aid bookstores in increasing awareness on the subject.