A Book on the History of the Academy
Work is underway on a book that will recognize and reckon with the organization’s history. The book, which will be published in advance of the Academy’s 250th anniversary in 2030, is intended to provide a full and honest assessment of the Academy’s achievements and failings within the larger history of the nation it was created to serve.
The Academy has commissioned a book history to mark its 250th anniversary in 2030. The book will offer a clear-eyed assessment of the Academy's contributions as well as its failings, and position the organization within the larger development and application of knowledge from 1780 to today.
Jacqueline Jones, the Ellen C. Temple Chair in Women’s History Emerita at the University of Texas at Austin, and 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner, was selected as the author for the publication. The volume will be shaped by research within and beyond the Academy's Archives. The volume will be developed in consultation with the Advisory Committee.
In parallel, the Academy has launched a new feature on its website about the organization’s history. The history section—which includes an overview of membership and work, as well as a timeline with milestones—provides initial information and creates a foundation on which to add new insights and materials as they become available.
