American Writers Museum
@americanwritersmuseum.org
Our mission is to excite audiences about the impact of American writers—past, present, & future—in shaping our collective histories, identities, & daily lives.
The AWM joins the rest of the Chicago literary community in mourning the loss of President & CEO of the Chicago Public Library Foundation, Brenda Langstraat Bui. Brenda was an integral part of the community, and her loss has been profoundly felt; our hearts are with her family and loved ones.
February 2, 2026 at 7:07 PM
The AWM joins the rest of the Chicago literary community in mourning the loss of President & CEO of the Chicago Public Library Foundation, Brenda Langstraat Bui. Brenda was an integral part of the community, and her loss has been profoundly felt; our hearts are with her family and loved ones.
Find more info on battling censorship on our resource page americanwritersmuseum.org/resources-to...
January 30, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Find more info on battling censorship on our resource page americanwritersmuseum.org/resources-to...
The American Writers Museum will be closed tomorrow, Friday, January 23 due to extreme cold temperatures. Stay warm, everyone!
January 22, 2026 at 10:15 PM
The American Writers Museum will be closed tomorrow, Friday, January 23 due to extreme cold temperatures. Stay warm, everyone!
How many artifacts are in the American Prophets exhibit? Hard to say… at least 6–7. 😏
Come see them for yourself—American Prophets is open now at the American Writers Museum.
🎟️ Get tickets at awmamericanprophets.org
Come see them for yourself—American Prophets is open now at the American Writers Museum.
🎟️ Get tickets at awmamericanprophets.org
December 16, 2025 at 10:26 PM
How many artifacts are in the American Prophets exhibit? Hard to say… at least 6–7. 😏
Come see them for yourself—American Prophets is open now at the American Writers Museum.
🎟️ Get tickets at awmamericanprophets.org
Come see them for yourself—American Prophets is open now at the American Writers Museum.
🎟️ Get tickets at awmamericanprophets.org
Need a new book to read or show to binge? How about a new album to listen to on your commute? No matter what you're looking for, our December Staff Picks have got you covered! Find something new to read, watch, or listen to this month on our blog! americanwritersmuseum.org/awm-staff-pi...
December 11, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Need a new book to read or show to binge? How about a new album to listen to on your commute? No matter what you're looking for, our December Staff Picks have got you covered! Find something new to read, watch, or listen to this month on our blog! americanwritersmuseum.org/awm-staff-pi...
Give a teacher the gift of membership this holiday season! Celebrate the teachers in your life who make a difference with an AWM Educator Membership—now 50% off for a limited time!
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secure.qgiv.com/for/educator...
December 5, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Give a teacher the gift of membership this holiday season! Celebrate the teachers in your life who make a difference with an AWM Educator Membership—now 50% off for a limited time!
secure.qgiv.com/for/educator...
secure.qgiv.com/for/educator...
“Stories keep our people alive.” –Brad Wagnon (Cherokee Nation)
Storyteller & author Brad Wagnon preserves Cherokee history and values through his books and teachings. Explore his reflections on faith, identity, and storytelling in American Prophets — now open at the AWM!
Storyteller & author Brad Wagnon preserves Cherokee history and values through his books and teachings. Explore his reflections on faith, identity, and storytelling in American Prophets — now open at the AWM!
November 26, 2025 at 6:58 PM
“Stories keep our people alive.” –Brad Wagnon (Cherokee Nation)
Storyteller & author Brad Wagnon preserves Cherokee history and values through his books and teachings. Explore his reflections on faith, identity, and storytelling in American Prophets — now open at the AWM!
Storyteller & author Brad Wagnon preserves Cherokee history and values through his books and teachings. Explore his reflections on faith, identity, and storytelling in American Prophets — now open at the AWM!
Happy Birthday, Pauli Murray! Explore Murray’s legacy in American Prophets, where their writings and personal reflections reveal how faith and activism can work hand in hand toward equality.
Get tickets to American Prophets today! awmamericanprophets.org
Get tickets to American Prophets today! awmamericanprophets.org
November 20, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Happy Birthday, Pauli Murray! Explore Murray’s legacy in American Prophets, where their writings and personal reflections reveal how faith and activism can work hand in hand toward equality.
Get tickets to American Prophets today! awmamericanprophets.org
Get tickets to American Prophets today! awmamericanprophets.org
Make sure you get your tickets for next week's event, featuring Alan Light and @ryanarnoldrocks! In DON'T STOP, Light investigates what keep "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac at the forefront of pop culture, from Glee to Saturday Night Live to Daisy Jones & the Six.
www.eventbrite.com/e/spirituali...
www.eventbrite.com/e/spirituali...
November 19, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Make sure you get your tickets for next week's event, featuring Alan Light and @ryanarnoldrocks! In DON'T STOP, Light investigates what keep "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac at the forefront of pop culture, from Glee to Saturday Night Live to Daisy Jones & the Six.
www.eventbrite.com/e/spirituali...
www.eventbrite.com/e/spirituali...
American Prophets opens Nov 24 at the American Writers Museum. Across generations, writers used words to question, believe, and reimagine what America could be. Buy tickets here! awmamericanprophets.org
November 18, 2025 at 10:53 PM
American Prophets opens Nov 24 at the American Writers Museum. Across generations, writers used words to question, believe, and reimagine what America could be. Buy tickets here! awmamericanprophets.org
Definition: A prophet is someone who uses their voice to reveal truth, challenge norms, and inspire change. The writers in American Prophets did just that: using words to shape culture, wrestle with faith, and reimagine what America could be.
americanwritersmuseum.org/american-pro...
americanwritersmuseum.org/american-pro...
November 17, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Definition: A prophet is someone who uses their voice to reveal truth, challenge norms, and inspire change. The writers in American Prophets did just that: using words to shape culture, wrestle with faith, and reimagine what America could be.
americanwritersmuseum.org/american-pro...
americanwritersmuseum.org/american-pro...
Looking for gifts this holiday season? How about an AWM Membership! Whether you're an avid museum goer, a student, a writer, or a book lover, we've got a membership level that will suit anyone. Learn more about what each level has to offer on our website! americanwritersmuseum.org/join-give/me...
November 13, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Looking for gifts this holiday season? How about an AWM Membership! Whether you're an avid museum goer, a student, a writer, or a book lover, we've got a membership level that will suit anyone. Learn more about what each level has to offer on our website! americanwritersmuseum.org/join-give/me...
Our November Staff Picks are here! Take a look to see what we've been loving this month, and let us know what's on your list in the replies!
Check out the full list here: americanwritersmuseum.org/awm-staff-pi...
Check out the full list here: americanwritersmuseum.org/awm-staff-pi...
November 11, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Our November Staff Picks are here! Take a look to see what we've been loving this month, and let us know what's on your list in the replies!
Check out the full list here: americanwritersmuseum.org/awm-staff-pi...
Check out the full list here: americanwritersmuseum.org/awm-staff-pi...
Hear all about our upcoming American Prophets program on Thomas A. Tweed's new book, Religion in the Lands that Became America, straight from Tweed's fellow Indigenous Studies scholar John Low!
Get tickets to the event here:
www.eventbrite.com/e/american-p...
Get tickets to the event here:
www.eventbrite.com/e/american-p...
November 6, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Hear all about our upcoming American Prophets program on Thomas A. Tweed's new book, Religion in the Lands that Became America, straight from Tweed's fellow Indigenous Studies scholar John Low!
Get tickets to the event here:
www.eventbrite.com/e/american-p...
Get tickets to the event here:
www.eventbrite.com/e/american-p...
Jane Goodall, 1934 - 2025
We are saddened to learn of the passing of primatologist Jane Goodall. Goodall was the author of numerous books on conservation, zoology, & of course, chimpanzees. She was an unwavering activist for the natural world & will be deeply missed.
#JaneGoodall
We are saddened to learn of the passing of primatologist Jane Goodall. Goodall was the author of numerous books on conservation, zoology, & of course, chimpanzees. She was an unwavering activist for the natural world & will be deeply missed.
#JaneGoodall
October 1, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Jane Goodall, 1934 - 2025
We are saddened to learn of the passing of primatologist Jane Goodall. Goodall was the author of numerous books on conservation, zoology, & of course, chimpanzees. She was an unwavering activist for the natural world & will be deeply missed.
#JaneGoodall
We are saddened to learn of the passing of primatologist Jane Goodall. Goodall was the author of numerous books on conservation, zoology, & of course, chimpanzees. She was an unwavering activist for the natural world & will be deeply missed.
#JaneGoodall
At our recent OnWord celebration, we honored 2 past winners of the John Estey Student Writing Competition, a key component of our Write In youth education program. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to support this important program!
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September 29, 2025 at 4:28 PM
At our recent OnWord celebration, we honored 2 past winners of the John Estey Student Writing Competition, a key component of our Write In youth education program. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to support this important program!
secure.qgiv.com/for/fallfund...
secure.qgiv.com/for/fallfund...
Sienna Wong, Dilworth Elementary, California.
“Crossovers are the next step,
I build up speed and show some pep,
Sometimes my head says no no
But the ice is not my foe
Hard work and practice are my friends
I dream gold medals meet me at the end"
“Crossovers are the next step,
I build up speed and show some pep,
Sometimes my head says no no
But the ice is not my foe
Hard work and practice are my friends
I dream gold medals meet me at the end"
September 10, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Sienna Wong, Dilworth Elementary, California.
“Crossovers are the next step,
I build up speed and show some pep,
Sometimes my head says no no
But the ice is not my foe
Hard work and practice are my friends
I dream gold medals meet me at the end"
“Crossovers are the next step,
I build up speed and show some pep,
Sometimes my head says no no
But the ice is not my foe
Hard work and practice are my friends
I dream gold medals meet me at the end"
Shira Kerchner, Beverly Farms Elementary School, Maryland.
“I awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside of my window and sunlight pouring through my sheer blinds. I pulled my covers up and stepped out of bed, unexcited for the day to come. I had dreamt of my wish finally coming true...”
“I awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside of my window and sunlight pouring through my sheer blinds. I pulled my covers up and stepped out of bed, unexcited for the day to come. I had dreamt of my wish finally coming true...”
September 10, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Shira Kerchner, Beverly Farms Elementary School, Maryland.
“I awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside of my window and sunlight pouring through my sheer blinds. I pulled my covers up and stepped out of bed, unexcited for the day to come. I had dreamt of my wish finally coming true...”
“I awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside of my window and sunlight pouring through my sheer blinds. I pulled my covers up and stepped out of bed, unexcited for the day to come. I had dreamt of my wish finally coming true...”
Samarth Agarwal, Thomas G. Scullen Middle School, Illinois.
“Fight like a Spartan,’ Mama always said. And so I do. Every cracked step. Every rejection. Every page I write is another oar in the water. A stroke of will. A push towards the waters of invisible rebellion against fate.”
“Fight like a Spartan,’ Mama always said. And so I do. Every cracked step. Every rejection. Every page I write is another oar in the water. A stroke of will. A push towards the waters of invisible rebellion against fate.”
September 10, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Samarth Agarwal, Thomas G. Scullen Middle School, Illinois.
“Fight like a Spartan,’ Mama always said. And so I do. Every cracked step. Every rejection. Every page I write is another oar in the water. A stroke of will. A push towards the waters of invisible rebellion against fate.”
“Fight like a Spartan,’ Mama always said. And so I do. Every cracked step. Every rejection. Every page I write is another oar in the water. A stroke of will. A push towards the waters of invisible rebellion against fate.”
Lexie Lin, Sydney Girls High School, Australia.
“He wrote about the sweet taste of his wife’s tea. The sound of Lucy’s seraphic laughter. The warmth of sunlight through the laundry. The colour of the fence he’d once painted with too much pride..."
“He wrote about the sweet taste of his wife’s tea. The sound of Lucy’s seraphic laughter. The warmth of sunlight through the laundry. The colour of the fence he’d once painted with too much pride..."
September 10, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Lexie Lin, Sydney Girls High School, Australia.
“He wrote about the sweet taste of his wife’s tea. The sound of Lucy’s seraphic laughter. The warmth of sunlight through the laundry. The colour of the fence he’d once painted with too much pride..."
“He wrote about the sweet taste of his wife’s tea. The sound of Lucy’s seraphic laughter. The warmth of sunlight through the laundry. The colour of the fence he’d once painted with too much pride..."
Faith Ducksworth, Krimmel Intermediate School, Texas.
“How do you know when you're in love with someone?
she asked me. To which I responded: When your thoughts connect them to every season, when you begin to hear them in your dreams...”
“How do you know when you're in love with someone?
she asked me. To which I responded: When your thoughts connect them to every season, when you begin to hear them in your dreams...”
September 10, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Faith Ducksworth, Krimmel Intermediate School, Texas.
“How do you know when you're in love with someone?
she asked me. To which I responded: When your thoughts connect them to every season, when you begin to hear them in your dreams...”
“How do you know when you're in love with someone?
she asked me. To which I responded: When your thoughts connect them to every season, when you begin to hear them in your dreams...”
Edward Lee, Bergen County Academies, New Jersey.
“That’s what Olena and I did: we remained. We returned. And each return built something. Not dramatic, not perfect—but undeniably real. There’s no certificate for what we did. No transcript, no final project. Just one voice...”
“That’s what Olena and I did: we remained. We returned. And each return built something. Not dramatic, not perfect—but undeniably real. There’s no certificate for what we did. No transcript, no final project. Just one voice...”
September 10, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Edward Lee, Bergen County Academies, New Jersey.
“That’s what Olena and I did: we remained. We returned. And each return built something. Not dramatic, not perfect—but undeniably real. There’s no certificate for what we did. No transcript, no final project. Just one voice...”
“That’s what Olena and I did: we remained. We returned. And each return built something. Not dramatic, not perfect—but undeniably real. There’s no certificate for what we did. No transcript, no final project. Just one voice...”
Asmi Tyagi, Delhi Public School, India.
“I never reached the end I imagined. I never found the final, pristine envelope with my name on it. But I’ve learned the rooms. I’ve learned their names, their scents, their rhythms. And I have survived the journey between them.”
“I never reached the end I imagined. I never found the final, pristine envelope with my name on it. But I’ve learned the rooms. I’ve learned their names, their scents, their rhythms. And I have survived the journey between them.”
September 10, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Asmi Tyagi, Delhi Public School, India.
“I never reached the end I imagined. I never found the final, pristine envelope with my name on it. But I’ve learned the rooms. I’ve learned their names, their scents, their rhythms. And I have survived the journey between them.”
“I never reached the end I imagined. I never found the final, pristine envelope with my name on it. But I’ve learned the rooms. I’ve learned their names, their scents, their rhythms. And I have survived the journey between them.”
Alicia Fischi, Fayetteville-Manlius High School, New York.
“She will tell you she loves you, and the words will seem to hang in the stillness between you. It will feel like a promise. Whisper good night as she squeezes your hand and quietly pads out of the room,”
“She will tell you she loves you, and the words will seem to hang in the stillness between you. It will feel like a promise. Whisper good night as she squeezes your hand and quietly pads out of the room,”
September 10, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Alicia Fischi, Fayetteville-Manlius High School, New York.
“She will tell you she loves you, and the words will seem to hang in the stillness between you. It will feel like a promise. Whisper good night as she squeezes your hand and quietly pads out of the room,”
“She will tell you she loves you, and the words will seem to hang in the stillness between you. It will feel like a promise. Whisper good night as she squeezes your hand and quietly pads out of the room,”
Ada Bartlett, Falk Laboratory School, Pennsylvania.
“’No! You can't go out there. There is a MURDERER. Plus, it's getting dark.’ Mrs. Quinn shout-whispered. I knew what I had to do."
“’No! You can't go out there. There is a MURDERER. Plus, it's getting dark.’ Mrs. Quinn shout-whispered. I knew what I had to do."
September 10, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Ada Bartlett, Falk Laboratory School, Pennsylvania.
“’No! You can't go out there. There is a MURDERER. Plus, it's getting dark.’ Mrs. Quinn shout-whispered. I knew what I had to do."
“’No! You can't go out there. There is a MURDERER. Plus, it's getting dark.’ Mrs. Quinn shout-whispered. I knew what I had to do."