Established in 1958 as a Northwestern University campus magazine, TriQuarterly took its name from the frequency of its publication schedule: one issue for each academic quarter of the year. Early issues of TriQuarterly featured essays, stories, and poems by regular and visiting Northwestern faculty, students, and associates of the University.
In 1964 TriQuarterly shifted its editorial focus from humanities to a literary format. It quickly gained a broad reputation for innovation and has been acclaimed for its publication of notable pieces of modern prose, poetry, criticism, and graphic art. While traditionally devoted to the work of American writers and artists, TriQuarterly has developed as well a willingness to publish important authors from around the world. Complementing TriQuarterly's respected issues on American fiction have been special issues featuring contemporary literature from Israel, Britain, Poland, Spain, Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, South Africa, and Asia. Theme issues have examined, among other topics, science fiction, literature in revolution, the “little” magazine as a genre, western stories, and war stories as well as the work of several individual authors. TriQuarterly supplements and special issues have provided critical insights into particular topics of literature and art.
From the guide to the Records of TriQuarterly, 1964-1997, (Northwestern University Archives)
