NASSR

Who is NAASR?
The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research is a non-profit, non-partisan, and non-sectarian organization founded in 1954 by a representative group of 60 prominent American Armenians and Harvard University professors in order to foster Armenian studies in America on an active, continuous, and scholarly basis and to perpetuate the Armenian Heritage.

It is the only nationwide organization dedicated to the advancement of Armenian studies and culture through America’s foremost institutions of higher education and through a multifaceted program in support of research, scholarship, and publication.

Through NAASR’s own fund-raising efforts, the first two endowed chairs in Armenian Studies in the United States were established at Harvard University in 1959 and at the University of California at Los Angeles in 1965.

NAASR has also supported Armenian Studies programs at a number of other American universities, among them Columbia University, University of Massachusetts at Boston and at Amherst, Wayne State University, Tufts University, California State University at Fresno, University of Connecticut, Rutgers University, and Bentley College.

To foster and promote Armenian studies through scholarship, research, and publication.

To work for the establishment of endowed professorships, fellowships, scholarships, departments, and courses of instruction in Armenian studies at American colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning.

To solicit and administer funds and to cooperate with universities, foundations, and similar organizations for the advancement of Armenian studies and research.

To sponsor and promote educational, cultural, and other activities and projects for the realization of the purposes and objections of the Association.

NAASR was first and foremost in promoting Armenian studies on the higher education level in the Western hemisphere. Its programs to foster Armenian studies, research, and publication on a scholarly and objective basis are the most comprehensive, fundamental, and everlasting in existence.

They will guarantee the continuous preparation of scholars and specialists in Armenian history, culture, and language; the conducting of research into all aspects and periods of Armenian history; and the steady outpouring of authoritative published works in English.

The continued success of NAASR’s programs will assure a better understanding of the role of the Armenians in world history and civilization, recognition of Armenian demands and grievances, and the perpetuation of the Armenian identity.

Programs
Altogether, there have been 12 Chairs of Armenian Studies endowed in the United States, and over 20 other institutions of higher education have offered programs on courses in Armenian history, culture, and/or language.

In pursuit of its basic purpose to promote Armenian studies in America, NAASR has established a number of programs and entities that are carried out at its Headquarters and Center for Armenian Studies and Research in Belmont, MA, a 10,000 sq. ft. facility which was acquired in 1989.

Armenian References and Research Library: A valuable collection of over 20,000 books, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, clippings files, memoirs, and personal papers (including microfiche and microfilm) available for research and reference purposes to scholars, students, and the general public.

Activities
NAASR has sponsored over 15 national and international conferences. Other NAASR activities include lecture series, discussion programs, symposia, seminars, forums, exhibits, book fairs, heritage tours, and other educational and cultural activites.