The Journal of the American Catholic Historical Society

The Society’s quarterly journal, American Catholic Studies, is the oldest, continuously published Catholic scholarly journal in the United States. Its origins can be traced back to 1887, when the Society began publication of a quarterly journal, The Records of the American Catholic Historical Society. In 1913, Records merged with the American Catholic Historical Researches, which had been founded in 1884. Though still publishing under the name Records, the merger signaled the journal’s dual emphasis on publishing historical records and fostering scholarly research.  

In 1999, the journal underwent a change in name and format to become American Catholic Studies, a shift that reflected its commitment to fostering a broader and more inclusive perspective on the American Catholic experience. The journal publishes articles and reviews that contribute to our understanding of Catholicism in the American context as it intersects with history, literature, culture, politics, art and architecture, theology, and popular movements.  

The journal has won numerous awards from the Catholic Press Association over the years, including First Place for General Excellence among scholarly journals.

“Consistent excellence in topics, editing, design, and presentation. This publication…attracts solid scholars who offer relevant topics of current interest.“

– Catholic Press Association

Published at Villanova University, American Catholic Studies is a double-blind refereed journal that is committed to the highest standards of scholarly excellence. It reaches a national and international audience through our agreements with JSTOR and Project MUSE, scholarly databases that provide full-text digital access to member libraries in the United States and internationally.

For more information about the journal and its submission guidelines visit the Villanova publications page.

Subscriptions

All members of the Society are automatically enrolled as subscribers to the journal.

Online Access

As a benefit of membership, ACHS members can request free online access to issues of the journal held by Project MUSE (2011-present).  Please contact info@amchs.org to obtain authorized login information.  

Digitized issues of Records and Researches up to 1925 can be accessed for free at JSTOR, a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students.