Although a concerted effort in catfish nutrition research in the United States did not begin until the late 1950s/early 1960s, the genesis of both the catfish industry and catfish nutrition research is rooted in studies conducted early in the 20th century. Thus, a historical view delineating the progression of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, nutrition from 1900 to the present is given. Notable nutrition research programs, as well as significant events and accomplishments, will be examined. K E Y W O R D S channel catfish, diet development, history, nutrition, research J World Aquacult Soc. 2020;51:93-118.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jwas 93 feedstuff or, at best, crude mixtures of animal and plant materials. Early feeding trials were rather unrefined and were conducted largely on a trial-and-error basis. This was not ideal, but it was the only practical approach as nutritional data were essentially nonexistent. After all, a feedstuff or mixture of feedstuffs contained a variety of essential nutrients and energy albeit not necessarily in the correct amounts or proportions. Results were often unpublished, or if disseminated, it was frequently by personal communication or in local publications. This would begin to change as early as the mid-1930s with the establishment of a fish production research program in Alabama, and later in several other states. By the late 1950s, research demonstrated that commercial catfish farming was feasible, and by 1969, there were about 16,000 ha in production. Commercial feeds were available, but it was evident that higher-quality feeds were necessary. Thus, new research initiatives were implemented, and from 1970 onward, significant advancements were made in catfish nutrition, primarily by institutions in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Historically, the development of catfish nutrition loosely paralleled the development of the industry, and thus, this narrative is divided into eras that roughly correspond to periods of industry growth.