Stephen Colbert honored with anti-censorship prize at Berkeley ceremony

The nonprofit Before Columbus Foundation named Stephen Colbert as a recipient of its anti-censorship award during the 47th annual American Book Awards. The ceremony will take place at the University of California, Berkeley on Sept. 26, where Colbert will be honored alongside independent bookstore founder Mitchell Kaplan and other literary figures such as Nicholas Boggs, John Fugelsang, Adela Najarro, and novelist Karen Tei Yamashita.

The foundation highlighted the awards’ purpose of recognizing literary excellence without restrictions. Colbert’s accolade arrives shortly after one outlet announced the cancellation of The Late Show, citing economic challenges in late-night programming. While the network framed the decision as purely financial, many observers have linked it to Colbert’s frequent critiques of President Donald Trump during his tenure. The award does not mention the network’s move, focusing instead on broader cultural and free-expression values.