MLA Archives
The archives of the Modern Language Association preserve unique items that document the history of the study and teaching of languages, literature, and linguistics in the United States. Housed in the MLA headquarters in New York City, the archives contain photographs, illustrations, newspaper articles, biographies, essays, correspondence, and other objects dating from 1883 to the present. This rich resource sheds light on the evolution of the MLA’s fields of study and on their role in important historical and cultural events, including the censorship of German language instruction following World War I, the effects of the Vietnam War on higher education, and the influence of feminism on the academy.
Researchers can now explore the archives through interactive time lines, browse the catalog by keyword, peruse the finding aids, or view the MLA History from the Archives exhibit.
Archives Revitalization Project
The MLA has been preserving its history since 1950, but the archives remained underused until 2014, when the MLA Archives Revitalization Project was launched. In 2018 the project was propelled by grant support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, which resulted in the first completely processed collection, the archives catalog, and printable finding aids. This ongoing project will transform the archives into a highly accessible physical and digital resource for educating the public about the history of the humanities.
If you have any questions concerning the archives, please contact the archives office.