Dedicated to the life and work of
William Morris
Founded in 1971, the William Morris Society in the United States is a group of scholars and enthusiasts brought together in fellowship by our shared interest in the life and works of the nineteenth-century writer, designer, and political thinker William Morris.
Images: Portrait of William Morris by Frederick Hollyer, 1884. William Morris, Jasmine, wallpaper, 1872. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The William Morris Society in the United States has no involvement with the recently-announced collaboration between British fashion brand Warehouse and the William Morris Society in the United Kingdom.
Announcements
Member Event: Textile Museum Tour at The George Washington University
Calling all those who love textiles! Join us for a visit to the Textile Museum in Washington, DC on September 23, 2023 from 10am - 12pm. We will meet with the museum's staff members Tracy Meserve, librarian of the Arthur D. Jenkins Library and WMS-US board member, and...
Call for Papers: “What Would Morris Do? Textile Use and Sustainability for the 21st Century” CAA 2024
The William Morris Society in the US is seeking participation for its upcoming CAA 2024 session, "What Would Morris Do? Textile Use and Sustainability for the 21st Century." This session is scheduled to take place in person at the conference venue in Chicago between...
William Morris Society in the United States Diversity Award
Call for Applications The William Morris Society in the United States is delighted to announce a new annual Diversity Award (WMDA). The WMDA intends to encourage, support and promote projects that contribute to our society’s mission to improve diversity, equity,...
A brief introduction to
William Morris
William Morris (1834–1896) is remembered for his contributions to literature, political and social thought, historic preservation, and the history of art and design.
Widely recognized as the leader of the Arts and Crafts movement, Morris advocated for the importance of craft. Believing that art was the expression of ‘pleasure in labour’, Morris’s passion for the arts of everyday life and abhorrence of Victorian industrial society led him to political activism. Influenced by Marxism, anarchism and revolutionary socialism, Morris co-founded the Socialist League, campaigned for workers’ rights, and lectured widely on art, labor, and politics.
Morris was himself a prolific designer in a variety of media. His printed textiles, tapestries, carpets, tiles, and wallpapers transformed Victorian interiors. As founder of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Morris has had a lasting impact in the field of heritage preservation. Towards the end of his life, his creative energies were focused on book printing.
Morris’s legacies survive today in myriad forms—in his poetry and prose, in his widely reproduced pattern designs, and in artistic, environmental, and political activism inspired by his life and work.
Image: William Morris, “Woodpecker” tapestry. Morris & Co., 1885.
join the society
membership
The William Morris Society in the United States is open to all residents of the US.
Members of the William Morris Society US are also members of the William Morris Society in the UK. They receive our magazine, Useful and Beautiful, and the Journal of William Morris Studies.
We hope you’ll join our community of engaged enthusiasts and scholars.
Upcoming
Events
Member Event: Textile Museum Tour at The George Washington University
Calling all those who love textiles! Join us for a visit to the Textile Museum in Washington, DC on September 23, 2023 from 10am - 12pm. We will meet with the museum's staff members Tracy Meserve, librarian of the Arthur D. Jenkins Library and WMS-US board member, and...
Book Event: New Books on 19th-Century Interiors
A book event co-organized by the William Morris Society in the United States and the Historic Interiors Affiliate Group of the Society of Architectural Historians Friday, February 24, 1 pm EST (10 am PST, 11 am MST, 12 noon CST, 6:00 pm GMT) Register Here This...
Meet the Curators: “Althea McNish: Colour is Mine”
Register Here The William Morris Society in the United States is delighted to host an online event celebrating the exhibition Althea McNish: Colour is Mine, now showing at The Whitworth in Manchester, UK, on tour from the William Morris Gallery in London. Join us...
Image: William Morris, Fruit, wallpaper, c. 1866. Victoria and Albert Museum.
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