The first two publications of the press were reprints of works by Carl Bridenbaugh. The first original book, published in May 1964, was A Voyage to Virginia in 1609, Two Narratives, an edition of William Strachey's True Reportory and Silvester Jourdain's A Discovery of The Barmudas, edited by Folger Shakespeare Library director Louis Booker Wright. Walker Cowen was the second director of the press, and was succeeded by Nancy Essig in 1988. Penelope Kaiserlian served as director from 2001 until her retirement in 2012. The press's name was changed to the University of Virginia Press in 2002.David Maurer, "University of Virginia Press celebrating half a century of printed and electronic books", The Daily Progress reprinted in The News & Advance, May 6, 2013. Mark Saunders succeeded Kaiserlian as director after her retirement.Emily Grandstaff, "Mark Saunders Named Director of the University of Virginia Press", UVA Today, July 17, 2013. Suzanne Morse Moomaw, an associate professor of urban and environmental planning in UVA's School of Architecture and director of the Community Design Research Center who served on the press's board of directors since 2015, the last two years as chair, was named director in January, 2020 following the death of Mark Saunders."Suzanne Morse Moomaw Named Director of the University of Virginia Press"
