ABOUT USGA
Preserving the Legacy
of Ulysses S. Grant
For more than six decades, the Ulysses S. Grant Association has advanced scholarship, preserved historical collections, and supported public understanding of one of America’s most influential leaders.
OUR MISSION
Scholarship. Preservation. Public Engagement.
The mission of the Ulysses S. Grant Association is to promote the study of the life and times of Ulysses S. Grant and the preservation of his legacy. This includes regular communications, hosting an annual meeting, partnership with the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, and supporting ongoing scholarship and archival collections connected to Grant’s life and influence on American history.
Through publications, preservation efforts, public programming, and educational initiatives, the Association continues to expand access to important historical resources for scholars, educators, students, and visitors alike.
1962
YEAR
ESTABLISHED
200,000+
HISOTRICAL DOCUMENTS ARCHIVED
32
PUBLISHED
VOLUMES
50,000+
KNOWN GRANT
LETTERS PRESERVED
HISTORY
Over Six Decades
of Grant Scholarship
The Ulysses S. Grant Association’s first president was Ralph Newman, and today the organization continues under the leadership of President James Bultema.
The USGA began at the Ohio Historical Society before relocating to Southern Illinois University in 1964. Following the passing of longtime executive director and managing editor John Y. Simon in 2008, historian John F. Marszalek became Simon’s successor and continued the organization’s commitment to Grant scholarship and preservation.
Mississippi State University later became the home of the Grant Papers at Mitchell Memorial Library. On the 50th anniversary of the Association’s founding, the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library was officially established at Mississippi State University.
With support from Mississippi State University, Southern Illinois University, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Association has published thirty-two volumes of The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant.
THE COLLECTIONS
Preserving One of America’s Most Important Historical Archives
The USGA has edited and published Grant’s writings both in hardcover and digital format. We acquire and preserve artifacts and memorabilia from Grant’s lifetime and make them available to scholars and the public.
We conduct teacher and student institutes and classes, and organize lectures and symposia.
We maintain the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library as the major repository of information about Ulysses S. Grant and his era.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Connecting Scholarship
With Public History
The Grant Association and Presidential Library actively engage in the scholarly community at Mississippi State University while participating in broader national academic dialogue.
In collaboration with institutions including the National Park Service and the Mississippi Museum of Art, USGA organizes:
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Teachers’ workshops
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Public lectures
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Historical symposia
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Educational programming
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Scholarly conferences
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Annual meetings and tours
These initiatives help preserve and expand public understanding of Grant’s life, leadership, and influence on American history.
