What's a Zine?

Zines are DIY/self-made and self-published booklets, pamphlets, or magazines. They are usually distributed for free or inexpensively and in small quantities. Zines are often created by marginalized or underrepresented groups to share their opinions and have their voices heard. 

In the Harlem Renaissance (mid 1910s-1920s), Black artists and writers created what they called "little magazines." These little magazines were created and distributed in small batches with contributions from creators like W.E.B. DuBois, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn B. Bennett, and many others. Check out this article from Book Riot to learn more!

The term "zine" came into use with fanzines in the 1930s. Many of these zines were created by fans of science fiction to share theories and ideas about the stories they read. As time went on, music fans and fans of other fiction genres started making zines as well.

In the 1970s, photocopiers made the creation and distribution of zines easier. Punk music groups started using them as part of their anti-establishment ethos. The 1990s saw another resurgence in zines with the Riot Grrrl movement. Today, people make zines for political reasons, but also to share personal experiences, to talk about their fandom, or just for fun! 

Timeline information from Timeline of Zine History by the Library of Virginia.