Parsons The New School for Design (formerly Parsons School of Design) was founded in 1896 as the Chase School of Art by the painter William Merritt Chase. In 1994, the school's leadership began compiling historical documentation in anticipation of commemorative activities marking the hundreth anniversary of the school's founding. Martica Sawin, an art historian and faculty member of the Liberal Studies program, undertook a project to identify and interview key participants in Parsons' history. The following individuals consented to a recorded interview:

Stanley Barrows, Interior Design Department faculty, 1946-1968, and Parsons alumnus. Suzanne Cole, Chair, Illustration Department, 1969-1982. Mildred Constantine, Art History faculty, 1972-1983. Benedict J. Fernandez, Chair, Photography Department, 1981-1994. Albert Greenberg, Chair, Communication Design Department. 1983-1994. Alan Gussow, Chair, Fashion Illustration Department, 1960-1969. David C. Levy, Dean of Parsons, 1970-1989, and Director of Admissions, xxxx-xxxx. Paul Resika, founding Chair, Master of Fine Arts Department, 1978-1991. Frank Rizzo, Chair, Fashion Design Department, 1982-1996, and Parsons alumnus. Martica Sawin, Faculty, Liberal Studies, began teaching Art History at Parsons in 1967. Stuart Shedletsky, Faculty, Fine Arts Department, 1969-2002. Allen Tate, Chair, Environmental Design Department, 1969-1982. Irwin Touster, Chair, Fine Arts Department, 1974-1992.

Parsons School of Design was established in 1896 as the Chase School of Art. While founded as a school of fine arts instruction, it soon added courses in "applied arts," which became the primary focus under the direction of Frank Alvah Parsons. The name of the school changed several times, to the New York School of Art in 1902, then to the New York School of Fine and Applied Art in 1909. In 1940, the Board of Trustees voted to change the school's name to Parsons School of Design in recognition of Frank Alvah Parsons' leadership and to differentiate it from other, similarly named institutions.

In 1921, Parsons' European School opened with headquarters in France called the Paris Ateliers. The Ateliers closed in 1939 due to the escalation of World War Two, and never reopened in its pre-war form. Parsons' summer study tours of Europe resumed in the late 1940s. When Parsons affiliated with the New School for Social Research in 1970, students could for the first time earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the New School (before the merger, students earned either a certificate for a three-year program of study at Parsons, or a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree granted by New York University, by taking courses at both schools). A more robust, year-round overseas program resumed at Parsons in the late 1970s under the leadership of Dean David C. Levy. The 1970s also saw the growth of continuing education programs at Parsons, and the introduction of an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree track. In the 1980s, Parsons developed a number of partnerships with international schools, and merged with the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles. The first Parsons graduate program was established at Parsons in 1978, in Fine Arts, with masters programs in other areas added in subsequent years, including a Master of Architecture program begun in 1989.

In 1994, the school's leadership began compiling historical documentation in anticipation of commemorative activities marking the hundreth anniversary of Parsons' founding. Martica Sawin, an art historian and faculty member of the Liberal Studies program, undertook a project to identify and interview key participants in Parsons' history.