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100 Years of VQR!

Since its first issue in 1925, the Virginia Quarterly Review has distinguished itself among literary magazines for its iconoclastic approach to American letters and world affairs. A century later, we’re naturally curious to know what motivated its founders and how they imagined a magazine would complement the mission of Thomas Jefferson’s small but mighty university in the post–World War I era. To find out, VQR’s staff spent roughly 250 hours over eighteen months researching in the archives housed at the University of Virginia’s Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, combing through manuscripts, correspondence, galleys, and other ephemera that brought the early years of that editorial mission into clearer focus.

#VQRTrueStory

#VQRTrueStory is a social-media experiment in nonfiction that delivers stories across platforms—from Instagram to the website to the magazine.

The Seto celebrate Maslenitsa, the last week before Orthodox Great Lent. Obinitsa, Estonia, March 2025.
The Seto celebrate Maslenitsa, the last week before Orthodox Great Lent. Obinitsa, Estonia, March 2025.

VQR Congratulates the 2025 Winners

The Emily Clark Balch Prizes and the Staige D. Blackford Prize were created to honor the best writing to appear in the pages of VQR each year. Past recipients include John Berryman, Philip Caputo, Pauline W. Chen, Carolyn Forché, Natasha Trethewey, and Kevin Young. The VQR Prize for Photography was created to recognize the best photo portfolio to appear in our pages. Each prize includes a monetary award of $1,000.