History of The Aquila

From 1973 to 1982, The Aquila, through art, sought to reach out to people in all walks of life and to enlighten and strengthen their minds and souls.  It encouraged creativity and gave aspiring artists a chance to leave their mark in the NU community.  It was a springboard of experience and confidence for those who took their craft seriously in life.

Interestingly enough, the look and feel of the magazine, in that time, reflected the aura of today's "coffee house" poetry scene.  The majority of literary pieces were written by students, with students as the intended audience of their writing; topics ranged from relationships to partying to questioning authority.  However, there were also poems that transcended the everyday thought processes of a college student both abstractly and concretely, resulting in poetry that was more likely to entertain all readers.

The photography was a healthy mixture of local nature shots and city landscape.  What was really interesting was the change in visual mood from issue to issue.  In one, nature imagery would dominate the layout; in the next, images of a "Rust Belt" city would flood the pages; in the next, photos of a thriving urban/suburban community under brilliant city lights at night.  It was an appreciation of art that neither jumped too headfast into the future nor remained completely fixed within grassroots.

Thanks to both the English Department and the Writing Studies Minor program, Niagara University has the chance to experience all of this once again.  Whether this magazine continues the tradition which began in 1973, or begins a new tradition, we at The Aquila hope for the continuing support of the NU community for numerous years to come.

FROM THE ASHES...

Click here for the revival issue of The Aquila, The Aquila:  Phoenix.