Design History: Discipline or Anarchy? 

This is a 1985 article written by Philip B. Meggs for the now defunct AIGA Journal of Graphic Design in which the author reflects on the early days of graphic design history, which he described as a “movement.” Meggs bemoaned the lack of scholarly rigor in graphic design history. He also made his connection between professional status and canonical histories plain: "If graphic design is to succeed in casting off the antiquated notion of ‘commercial art,’ taking a rightful place beside architecture and painting as a major visual expression of our culture, ‘the history-void’ must be overcome. A professional without a history is like a person without a country: a homeless refugee. The graphic design history movement bolsters the profession's quest for recognition." The excerpt comes from Volume 3, Issue 4, page 2.