Stephen Colbert receives anti-censorship award

Former late-night show host Stephen Colbert has received an anti-censorship award from the Before Columbus Foundation, an honor announced just months after CBS ended his long-running late-night program The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.Colbert was named one of the recipients of the 47th annual American Book Awards, sharing the award with Mitchell Kaplan, the founder of the independent Florida bookstore chain Books & Books, according to USA Today.Colbert will be recognized with the anti-censorship award ceremony at the University of California, Berkeley, campus on Sept. 26. The nonprofit Before Columbus Foundation said the annual awards recognize literary and cultural achievements across a broad spectrum of American voices. Colbert’s recognition comes after CBS canceled The Late Show in May, following Colbert’s 11-year run as host.The network maintained the decision was driven by financial considerations, citing the economic challenges facing late-night television. However, Colbert and many of his supporters have publicly questioned whether economics alone explains the cancellation, noting his public criticism of President Donald Trump during his tenure.STEPHEN COLBERT SIGNS OFF ONE LAST TIME: ‘HELLO, GOODBYE’The Before Columbus Foundation did not reference CBS’s decision in announcing the award but said the American Book Awards were created “to provide recognition for outstanding literary achievement from the entire spectrum of America’s diverse literary community. The purpose of the awards is to recognize literary excellence without limitations or restrictions.”Other 2026 American Book Award honorees include James Baldwin biographer Nicholas Boggs, author and broadcaster John Fugelsang, poet Adela Najarro, and novelist Karen Tei Yamashita, who received a lifetime achievement award.