Indiana Magazine of History facts for kids

The Indiana Magazine of History is a special magazine, or journal, that comes out four times a year. Experts check all the articles before they are published. It's put out by the History Department at Indiana University.

When it first started, the magazine mainly shared old historical papers about Indiana. This was especially true for when Indiana was becoming a state. Now, it shares many articles, reviews, and interviews. These are all about the history of Indiana and the Midwest. This includes everything from the first meetings between Europeans and Native Americans up to today.

The Magazine's Story: How It Began

The Indiana Magazine of History started in 1905. It was first called the Indiana Quarterly Magazine of History. George S. Cottman created it. He wanted it to be "a magazine devoted to the preservation and collating of matter that is of real value to the historical student." This means he wanted to save and organize important historical information.

Joining Indiana University

In 1913, Logan Esarey became the new editor. This is when the magazine began working with Indiana University. It also changed its name to its current one. Under Esarey, the magazine started to do more than just print old papers. It began to focus on understanding and explaining history.

Growing with New Editors

The magazine continued to grow under later editors. John Barnhart (1941–1955) brought a feeling of "sophisticated scholarship" to the journal. This means he made it more serious and academic. Donald F. Carmony (1955–1975) also served for a long time. His work for Indiana University was honored in 2002. A special teaching position was created in his name. Part of this job includes editing the Indiana Magazine of History.

Connecting Historians and Readers

The magazine is special because it brings together different kinds of historians. Both professional historians and people who love history as a hobby write for it. They also read it. Even though it's an academic journal, many people outside of universities read it. For many years, if you were a member of the Indiana Historical Society, you got the journal. These members still make up most of its readers.

This wide readership, along with support from university scholars, has helped the magazine keep publishing. In 1955, a former editor named William O. Lynch wrote about this. He said that the early editors, one who learned on his own and one who was university-trained, worked well together. The magazine still serves as an important record for Indiana history. It also helps teachers with lesson plans. It works with Indiana Public Radio on a history program. Plus, you can read old issues online for free!

Who Has Edited the Magazine?

Many people have helped guide the Indiana Magazine of History over the years. Here is a list of the main editors:

• George S. Cottman (March 1905 – December 1907, December 1911 – March 1913)
• Christopher B. Coleman (March 1908 – September 1911, March 1926 – June 1926, March 1928 – June 1928)
• Logan Esarey (June 1913 – December 1925, September 1926 – December 1926)
• William O. Lynch (September 1928 – June 1941)
• John D. Barnhart (September 1941 – March 1955)
• Donald F. Carmony (June 1955 – December 1975)
• Lorna Sylvester (September 1969, September 1970, September 1971, September 1972, December 1973, March 1976 – September 1976, September 1982 – September 1983)
• James H. Madison (December 1976 – December 1993)
• Richard Blackett (March 1994 – September 1996)
• Bernard W. Sheehan (December 1996 – September 2002)
• Eric Sandweiss (December 2002 – June 2020)
• David Nichols (June 2020 - present)