In October, 1907 seven of the leading historical societies of the Mississippi Valley were invited to Lincoln, Nebraska "for the purpose of considering plans for effecting a permanent organization for the advancement of historical research and the collection and conservation of material in these western States." The result was the formation of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association. Seven years later, the Association launched the first issue of its quarterly Mississippi Valley Historical Review as a new publication to showcase the publishing activities of the Association. The March 1964 issue completed the fiftieth volume of the Mississippi Valley Historical Review, and at that time, the Association celebrated the half-century landmark anniversary by approving a name change of the Association's journal to The Journal of American History.

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