The history of Title VI of the Higher Education Act, having to do with language education and area studies, is chronicled by an educator closely involved in development of the legislation. The review focuses on four themes that have received the most attention: debates, largely outside the field, on whether to continue federal funding for Title VI; the appropriate level of funding; a series of reform movements attempting to redirect or redefine the legislation's language and area studies mission; and attempts to supplement Title VI by adding non-area-oriented purposes and clienteles. The current relevance of these issues is also discussed. It is concluded that while the original goal of the act was to create a group of language and area studies specialists who were committed to teaching, this portion of the act has been changed over time to try to broaden the occupational goals of these graduates, balance the disciplines represented, spread further into the undergraduate level, serve clienteles outside those originally targeted, and adopt a particular form of language testing as a standard. Add-ons have also broadened coverage. However, the basic purposes and forms of Title VI are seen to have remained relatively stable since inception. (MSE)