UT Press Marks 75 Years with Literary Celebration at Austin Central Library

The University of Texas Press will celebrate its 75th anniversary on September 21 with a free public event at the Austin Central Library. The milestone event will highlight the press’s evolution over seven decades through a series of author panels and discussions focused on literature, music, food, conservation, sports and Texas culture.

The program begins with a proclamation from Mayor Kirk Watson designating September 21 as “University of Texas Press Day,” followed by scheduled appearances from authors including Sarah Bird, Hanif Abdurraqib, Stephen Harrigan, Jessica Hopper, Toni Tipton-Martin, Michael Hurd and others. Panels will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with First Light Books selling over 100 titles onsite.

Founded in 1950, UT Press has published over 4,000 books and 15 scholarly journals, becoming the largest publisher in Texas and one of the most prominent academic presses in the country. While its earliest catalogs emphasized regional titles on Texas, Mexico and Latin America, its publishing scope has grown to include subject areas such as architecture, music, anthropology, film and memoir.

“There are certain subject areas in which the press has always been an important player,” says UT Press Director Robert Devens. “But one of the interesting things that happens with a publisher over 75 years is that you grow and evolve. What was core in the ’50s is still core now—but we’ve added many others.”

Texas’s largest publisher

Today, the press publishes about 80 books annually, ranging from research-driven studies to general interest titles. It has also become known for trade successes like “Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest” by Hanif Abdurraqib, a New York Times bestseller, and “The Jemima Code” by Toni Tipton-Martin, which won a James Beard Foundation Book Award in 2016.

As Editor-in-Chief Casey Kittrell explains, author relationships remain a central priority. “We publish a lot of scholars’ first books, and we try to take very good care of them. That often leads to longer relationships, whether they return for a second book or recommend colleagues and students to us,” Kittrell says. “It stems from treating people’s work with respect and putting in the time to engage with it.”

In recent years, UT Press has expanded its national reputation with distinctive series like the American Music Series, edited by Abdurraqib, Hopper and Charles Hughes. Recent titles include “Band People” by Franz Nicolay, “Black Country Music” by Francesca T. Royster and “The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman” by Niko Stratis.

The press also maintains longstanding ties to the UT Austin campus. Many titles are authored by university faculty or produced in collaboration with units like the Blanton Museum of Art, the Harry Ransom Center and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Their catalog includes exhibition catalogs, research-driven books and collaborations with partners across Austin, including Austin City Limits, Lake Flato Architects, Miró Rivera Architects and Fonda San Miguel.

75th anniversary

Sales and Marketing Director Gianna LaMorte, who has been with the press for nearly two decades, is currently visiting 75 bookstores in 75 days to commemorate the anniversary. “You sometimes forget, working behind the scenes, how much these books mean to people,” she says. “In many shops, they had old UT Press books stacked up for me when I walked in.”

LaMorte notes that independent bookstores remain a crucial part of the press’s ecosystem. In recent years, she’s seen a rise in new shops across Texas, including Black-owned, Latinx-owned and LGBTQ-owned bookstores, many with distinct audiences and editorial visions.

LaMorte encourages attendees to arrive early and explore the full schedule, which includes panels on topics like grief, food, sports and Texas culture. “All the panels are different,” LaMorte says. “You might say only go for the headliner, but you might want to stay for the folks in the middle.”

For more information, visit their website or follow along @utexaspress.

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