The Northwestern University Press imprint first appeared in 1893 on the Northwestern University Record, a publication that served as the “official organ” of the university from 1893 to 1896. The imprint continued to be used sporadically by the faculties of the various schools of the university on monographs, journals, pamphlets, catalogs, and bulletins until 1922 when the Press was incorporated for the purpose of publishing The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology and the Illinois Law Review, under the auspices of the Illinois Law Publishing Company. Later The Journal of Air Law, The Journal of Radio Law, and The American Journal of Political Science, and several legal monographs were brought out under the Press imprint. Despite its incorporation, unauthorized use of the Press imprint continued in other areas of the University.
In 1935 the Graduate School undertook the editorship of a monographic series entitled Northwestern University Studies, in order to publish the original research of Northwestern faculty. Initially the Studies used a Northwestern University imprint. In 1945 the Press developed guidelines to eliminate the unauthorized use of its imprint and formalized its relationship with the Studies series. In 1949 the Studies adopted the Press imprint.
In 1951 the University Press was reorganized and its charter amended to provide the structure for an expanded publications program that, however, did not occur until 1957 when the Press became a self-administered affiliate of the university. The various schools and colleges within the university were no longer allowed to use the Press imprint on their publications. The Press discontinued the publication of journals, concentrating instead on scholarly monographs. It grew throughout the 1960s, publishing as many as twenty titles a year; however, adverse financial circumstances caused a severe reduction in output and after 1973 the Press became virtually dormant. During the period 1957 - 1973, the Press's publishing strengths were in the fields of African Studies, philosophy, political science, business history, and literary criticism.
From the guide to the Records of The Northwestern University Press, 1934-1978, (Northwestern University Archives)
