Following long and numerous efforts to organize professionally, the Bulgarian scholars of American Studies established their academic alliances at the end of the 1980’s. That event coincided with the political changes and the transition to pluralist democracy and market economy, naturally linked with the opening up of Bulgarian scholars to the outside world and the revived interest in the subject area of American Studies. A group of Bulgarian and American intellectuals constituted a Bulgarian American Society seated in USA. 

The first formal alliance of Bulgarian scholars of American Studies was founded in March 1990 and registered in October 1990. It included 60 constituent members, mostly, though not exclusively, from Sofia, and representing different academic fields and institutions. The first president of that association was Prof. Andrey Pantev, with Assoc. Prof. Natalia Klissurska as vice-president and Prof. Nikolai Genov as secretary. Members of the executive board were Andrey Dimitrov, Boukitza Grinberg, Nikolai Mihailov, Petko Petkov, Plamen Pantev and Yaroslav Ivanchenko.

In its activities the organization registered several successful events – the Symposium and Exhibition on the life and work of Eugene Schuyler (22 May 1990), the First Annual Conference “The Past and Present Status of American Studies” (30-31 January 1991); the Second Annual Conference “150 Years of Cultural Contacts Between the United States and Bulgaria” (1992), the research project on US Missionaries and Their Role in Bulgarian Education (1992-1994), the collection “The Modern Historian – Imagination, Information, Generations” (compiled and edited by Kostadin Grozev and Todor Popnedelev, Sofia, 1999), celebrating the 60^th anniversary of Prof. Andrey Pantev. A number of other publications of Bulgarian scholars of American Studies were also presented to the public.

Bulgarian scholars of American Studies met in 2001at AUBG, Blagoevrgad and at VTU, Veliko Turnuvo, in 2002 to discuss and consider a new status of their organization, following changes in the legislation and with the view of potential membership in EAAS. In May 2002 a constituent assembly was held in Sofia of 39 Bulgarian scholars of American Studies who adopted the Charter of the Bulgarian American Studies Association to succeed and continue the activities of all preceding alliances of Bulgarian scholars of American Studies, and elected a 7-member Executive Board with president Assoc. Prof. Julia Stefanova, vice-president Assoc. Prof. Yonka Krasteva and secretary and treasurer Dr. Madleine Danova, and members, Dr. Kostadin Grozev, Dr. Vernon Pedersen, Vesselin Budakov and Yordan Kosturkov. The Sofia Municipal Court issued its Decision No. 1 of 8 January 2003 to register BASA. The constituent members come from 10 universities, institutions and organizations in 5 Bulgarian cities: Sofia, VelikoTurnovo, Plovdiv, Shumen, Blagoevrad. At its America in the 21^st Century Conference on 21-22 November 2003 BASA is set to consolidate its membership and demonstrate their achievements.