Reed Magazine and 150 Years of Literary Excellence

“We are merely stewards in our lifetime.” That sentiment, from the editor-in-chief of San Jose State’s Reed Magazine, seems fitting for the occasion of the 150^th anniversary of the venerable title. “I feel the same way about being the editor-in-chief of a journal that’s existed for a century and a half, as I do about being a guardian of our natural world: we are merely stewards during our lifetime,” Miller says in a letter published in the anniversary edition. “Let us try to nurture and nourish, to keep them both alive for future generations to enjoy.” According to Sal Pizarro in the Mercury News, the original 1867 publication was called “The Acorn,” at what was then known as the California State Normal School. It went through a series of iterations until being reborn as The Reed in 1948. The anniversary issue is the largest yet, with 330 pages of fiction, poetry, essays, profiles, photography and art, Pizarro explains. “Over the years, the magazine lost the article in its title, but it has remained a fine reminder that San Jose State — now known for churning out engineers and MBAs — has its deepest roots in the humanities,” Pizarro notes. Congratulations to all involved in this achievement, and we look forward to the next iteration!