The Byron Society of Amreica (BSA) is a non-profit literary organization founded in 1973 by Marsha M. Manns and Leslie A. Marchand to study the works and life of the English Romantic Poet, George Gordon, Lord Byron (1788-1824). Throughout its history, the Byron Society of America has welcomed members from across the United States and Canada. BSA sponsors seminars, conferences, and distinguished lecture series, offers travel grants to young scholars, and offers a variety of benefits to its members. The Society is an Allied Organization of the Modern Language Association and has been organizing programs in conjunction with the annual MLA Convention since 1973.
BSA is a member of the International Council of the Byron Societies which consists of Byron Societies located in over thirty-eight countries. The Council’s headquarters are in the United Kingdom, and for thirty-four years the Council has organized an international seminar and tour of a member country. In 2007, the seminar will be held in Venice, Italy. Additionally, an international students conference is held annually in Greece.
The Byron Society Collection was founded in 1995 by Marsha Manns and Leslie Marchand with materials from their own collections as a living collection to which all Society members could contribute. Shortly thereafter, Michael Rees, for many years Secretary of the International Council of the Byron Societies, donated his Byron collection to substantially increase the Collection's holdings. These initial gifts were followed by signifiant dontations from Jerome McGann, Harold Ray Stevens, and Real de Melogue. To date, more than 100 individuals have contribued items to the Byron Society Collection.
Included in the Collection's holdings are rare and scholarly books, autograph material, iconography, and other material objects that demonstrate the significant impact of Byron’s life and works on his readers both past and present.
The Byron Society of America has received tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
