The University of Arkansas Press is a
university press that is part of the
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkans ...
and has been a member of the
Association of University Presses since 1984. Its mission is to publish
peer-reviewed
Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer revie ...
books and
academic journal
An academic journal or scholarly journal is a periodical publication in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as permanent and transparent forums for the presentation, scrutiny, and ...
s. It was established in 1980 by Willard B. Gatewood Jr. and
Miller Williams and is housed in the McIlroy House in
Fayetteville. Notable authors include civil-rights activist
Daisy Bates, US president
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
, former US poet laureate
Billy Collins, and National Book Award–winner
Ellen Gilchrist
Ellen Gilchrist (born February 20, 1935) is an American novelist, short story writer, and poet. She won a National Book Award for her 1984 collection of short stories, ''Victory Over Japan''.
Life
Gilchrist was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, a ...
.
History
The University of Arkansas Press was established in May 1980 as the publishing arm of the University of Arkansas by the board of trustees of the university. Miller Williams was named the first director of the press, and Willard B. Gatewood Jr. was named the chairman of the first press committee. For the first five years of operation, assistance from the
University of Missouri Press
The University of Missouri Press is a university press operated by the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri and London, England; it was founded in 1958 primarily through the efforts of English professor William Peden. Many publications a ...
was crucial to editorial and production operations.
In December 1980 the McIlroy House was formally opened as its home, and in the following year the press published its first three books. Martha Sutherland of the university's School of Architecture designed a stylized version of the McIlroy House that was chosen for the colophon, which appears on the spine of all the publisher's volumes.
In November 1983 a fire severely damaged the McIlroy House. In September 1987, another fire damaged the press's warehouse and destroyed much of its book inventory.
In 1997 University of Arkansas chancellor
John A. White closed the press, but it was reopened within months after intense public outcry. In 1998 the press received an endowment from
Tyson Foods and the university hired Lawrence Malley as the director. Malley expanded the press's coverage of
sports studies,
African-American studies, and
Middle East studies during his tenure.
In 2013 Mike Bieker was named director. The press continues to publish about twenty-five titles per year, covering poetry and literature, African American studies, food studies, sports studies, and art and architecture.
Poetry
Miller Williams's initial leadership of the press lead to an early specialization in literature. As both a professor and editor, Williams nurtured hundreds of young poets, most notably former US poet laureate Billy Collins, who cites Williams as a mentor and his "first editorial father." The press published Collins's ''The Apple That Astonished Paris'' in 1988.
Enid Shomer was named poetry editor in 2002 and directed the Arkansas Poetry Prize (later named the Miller Williams Poetry Prize). In 2014 Billy Collins returned to the press to serve as editor of the poetry series and as judge for the Miller Williams Poetry Prize, which annually awards publication to two finalists and a cash prize of $5,000 to one winner.
In 2015 the press partnered with
CantoMundo
CantoMundo is an American literary organization founded in 2009 to support Latino poets and poetry. It hosts an annual poetry workshop dedicated to the creation, documentation, and critical analysis of Latinx poetry.
History
CantoMundo was founded ...
to establish the CantoMundo Poetry Prize, which annually awards publication and a cash prize to a Latino poet writing in English. Judged and edited by
Deborah Paredez and
Carmen Giménez Smith, the series has brought out collections from Jacob Shores-Argüello, Ángel García, Gina Franco, and Sara Lupita Olivares.
In the same year the press also partnered with
RAWI to establish the Etel Adnan Poetry Prize (named in honor of Lebanese American poet, essayist, and visual artist
Etel Adnan, which annual awards publication and a cash prize to a poet of Arab heritage writing in English.
Judged and edited by Hayan Charara and
Fady Joudah, the series has brought out collections from Jess Rizkallah, Peter Twal, Zaina Alsous, and
Jessica Abughattas.
References
External links
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{{Authority control
Press
Arkansas, University of
Publishing companies established in 1980
1980 establishments in Arkansas