Historical Society
Founded in 1976, the Stanford Historical Society, a unique and dedicated volunteer organization, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Over the past decades, it has provided events, oral histories and publications to support the preservation, examination, and appreciation of Stanford University history. Learn more about our resources and activities, and join us for our ANNIVERSARY EVENTS.
$50 for the 50th - New Membership only
As a special anniversary offer, the Stanford Historical Society is giving new members a one-time discount--$50 instead of $60 for new Individual memberships. Benefits include access to engaging programs, both in-person and online; the publication Sandstone & Tile; and community events. Members also enjoy priority registration. To join or give a gift membership, go to this web page and enter $50 manually in the “Other Amount” field.
Recent Programs
2026 Stanford Historical Society Annual Meeting and Reception
The Stanford Historical Society Annual Members' Meeting will be followed by a featured program, Written in Stone: Stanford and Its Plaques. Non-members are welcome to attend the meeting.
Written in Stone: Stanford and Its Plaques
Join Henry Segal, ’26, for a presentation on Stanford history through the lens of its plaques (both authorized and not), followed by a reception and an optional self-guided tour.Featured Content
Apr. 12, 2026 | What We Sang Then: A Historic Recital of Favorites from the Stanford Songbook
Professor Steve Sano, MA '91, DMA '94, directed the Stanford Chamber Chorale as they performed selections from the heyday of the Stanford Songbook (1890-1915).
Written in Stone: Stanford and Its Plaques
Join Henry Segal, ’26, for a presentation on Stanford history through the lens of its plaques (both authorized and not), followed by a reception and an optional self-guided tour.
Sandstone & Tile, Winter 2026, Volume 50, No. 1
Learn about how college songs helped give the diverse student body a shared identity in Stanford’s early days, as well as the nuanced history of the Lasuen Mall.Recent Publications
Stanford's Wallace Sterling: Portrait of a Presidency, 1949-1968
A thoroughly researched and lavishly illustrated account of Stanford’s transformational rise as a research university during the presidency of J. E. Wallace Sterling.
A Historian's Diary, 1935 - 1980
Gordon Craig’s witty and elegant diary includes his experiences as a student in Germany and at Oxford, his role in Stanford's transformation into a leading research universities, and his experiences at the Free University of Berlin.
Voices from the Hennessy Presidency: Collected Interviews with University Leaders, 2000-2016
Candid reflections from 21 Stanford leaders on the Hennessy years, 2000 to 2016.In Memoriam
Charles A. Holloway, 1936 - 2026
Professor Chuck Holloway, an expert in the fields of entrepreneurship, supply networks, and technology management, reflects on his engineering and business education, his military career, and his career at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Renato I. Rosaldo Jr., 1941 - 2026
Renato Rosaldo, Professor Emeritus, shares reflections on his education, career, and personal life, and reads selections of his own poetry.
Takeshi Amemiya, 1935 - 2026
Professor Takeshi Amemiya, Edward Ames Edmonds Professor of Economics, Emeritus, described his early life in wartime Japan, his education in economics, and his years on the faculty of the Department of Economics at Stanford University.Discover History
Sandstone & Tile
Mailed to all SHS members, Sandstone & Tile reports on what was happening in the university and publishes research articles on various aspects of Stanford history, in addition to serving as a chronicle of the history of the society.
Program Recordings
SHS programs address important topics including Stanford’s relationship with the Silicon Valley, the Stanford peace movement, the history of Title IX at Stanford, the Medical School, and the Stanford Prison Experiment.
Oral History Program
The Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program explores the institutional history of the university through interviews with faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and other members of the Stanford community.Recent News
Stanford Historical Society welcomes five new board members
The Story Keepers
Support Stanford Historical Society
Your gifts and membership dues support the mission of the Stanford Historical Society to document, preserve, and disseminate important stories of Stanford University's rich history. Donations and membership dues are considered gifts to Stanford University and are tax-deductible.