For the first time ever, every issue of Ms. magazine—from its historic debut in 1972 to today—is available in a fully digitized, searchable, high-resolution format. The newly launched Ms. Magazine Archive offers unprecedented digital access to over five decades of feminist journalism, activism and scholarship.
Now available to academic and public libraries around the world through ProQuest, the archive is free to access for students, teachers, scholars and activists via their institutions. Feminists everywhere are encouraged to ask their local or campus librarians about subscriptions or free trial access; find more information here.
This groundbreaking collection is set to transform how feminism and social change are taught and studied. With its extensive coverage of gender justice movements—past and present—the Ms. archive provides rich, accessible content and a powerful set of pedagogical tools for courses in women’s and gender studies, history, political science, media studies, journalism and more.
“By studying the magazine’s coverage of historical movements and contemporary issues,” said Karon Jolna, Ms. Classroom program director, “students can gain critical insights into effective feminist strategies to fight back today.”
Highlights from the archive include:
- The Roe v. Wade Decision (1973): Just a year after its launch, Ms. helped shape national conversation around reproductive rights, offering in-depth analysis and advocacy as Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in the United States.
- The Ticket That Might Have Been … President Chisholm (1973): Ms. documented Representative Shirley Chisholm’s historic run for the Democratic presidential nomination—the first woman and Black person to do so—alongside Texas State Senator Sissy Farenthold.
- Welfare Is a Women’s Issue (1972): “I’m a woman. I’m a Black woman, I’m a poor woman. I’m a middle-aged woman. And I’m on welfare…” These powerful words, published in one of Ms.’ first issues, underscored the intersection of race, class, gender and public policy.
- Life on the Global Assembly Line (1981): An exposé on the exploitation of women in U.S. sweatshops, South Korean textile factories and Ciudad Juarez maquiladoras.
- Date Rape: The Story of an Epidemic and Those Who Deny It (1985): Ms. was among the first to publish national research and investigative reporting on the prevalence of sexual assault against college women.
- The Women of Black Lives Matter (2015): A spotlight on the women leading the #BlackLivesMatter movement, whose intersectional approach distinguishes it from earlier civil rights struggles.
- The #MeToo Movement: In recent years, Ms. has played a pivotal role in documenting the rise of the #MeToo movement and its impact across industries and communities.
- Antiabortion Terrorism (Spring 2025): The current issue investigates how antiabortion extremists successfully blocked the opening of an all-trimester abortion clinic in Beverly Hills—highlighting the ongoing threats to reproductive care, even in so-called “abortion sanctuary” states like California.
To stay updated on new teaching tools, workshops and events marking the launch of the archive, sign up here.
For questions or further information, contact Karon Jolna, Ph.D., at kjolna@msmagazine.com.
