The Historical Institute Parri Emilia-Romagna was founded in July 1963, in the groove and as a regional articulation of INSMLI (National Institute for the History of the Liberation Movement in Italy). Its first name was indeed Deputation for Emilia and Romagna for the history of the Resistance Mouvement and the War of Liberation.

The Institute's roots date back to 1947, when Ferruccio Parri had decided to raise the problem of preserving the heritage of the Resistance, a decision that led to the founding the Insmli in 1949, when the resistance was not universally accepted.

The Library of the Historical Insitute Parri Emilia-Romagna is specialized in the field of contemporary history, in particular: World War I and II, fascism, Italian and European anti-fascism, liberation war, postwar reconstruction, Italian Republic, teaching of history textbooks on the history of the twentieth century, and the broad themes of contemporaneity.