A miscellany-turned-literary magazine celebrates its 200th year of publication. The “North American Review,” established in Boston in 1815, is the longest-running literary magazine in the United States.
It’s been on University of Northern Iowa’s campus since 1968 and is now located in Bartlett 3.
The NAR states that their mission is striving to make literature and art matter. It is a quarterly magazine that, unlike other literary magazines, has kept a magazine format versus a perfect-bind format.
This summer, a conference will be held to celebrate the bicentennial landmark. This conference is set to include three keynote speakers and will feature paper proposals, panels and round-table discussions.
The conference will be held June 11 to 13 and will present the speakers in Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, while the panels will be located in classrooms at Schindler Education Center.
According to their blog, the “North American Review” is, “well-known for its early discovery of young, talented fiction writers and poets.
The magazine also publishes creative nonfiction, with emphasis on increasing concerns about environmental and ecological matters, multiculturalism and exigent issues of gender and class.”
“The NAR promotes a unique American voice that helps to celebrate and shape our culture,” Jeremy Schraffenberger, associate professor and associate editor of the NAR, said.
Since the longest-lived literary magazine is produced within our own backyard, it allows many faculty and students to participate in an organization with a rich history and integrity.
The magazine has published works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Abraham Lincoln and H.G. Wells.
“This is a place where people can come to be involved for course credit, work studies or just to have some professional experience,” Schraffenberger said.
Schraffenberger also mentioned there are many opportunities for students within many different areas of study.
“It’s not just for literaries,” Schraffenberger said. “Editing, copywriting, design, ad management – all of these are things we do.”
In order to represent all of North America, the NAR observes and celebrates national heritage months.
Because of the recent spike in social media, Schraffenberger said it was a good thing for them to have a bigger online presence. Their blog allows previous contributors to explain their works and inform site-viewers of upcoming events and issues.
Schraffenberger will hold a seminar in literature next semester, titled The “North American Review” and the Making of American Literature. He hopes it will better interest students in the NAR and contemporary literature.
“It’s a privilege to work on something so important and become a part of history,” Schraffenberger said.
