Gumbo yearbook chronicles the entire academic year at LSU in 400 pages of full color. In words and especially photos, the Gumbo shows the people, places, and events that make each year unique. In addition to formal portraits of schools and departments, the book contains hundreds of snapshots of students with their friends and dozens of pages showcasing organizations. The book is distributed in early fall.

The Gumbo yearbook has chronicled each year in the life of Louisiana State University in photographs and in words since 1900. Only one year, the 1918-1919 school year, was missed, when wartime pressures caused the cancellation of the book. A magazine version, called Gumbo Magazine, chronicled the 1992-93 and 1993-94 school years because revenues were insufficient for a hardbound book. A student referendum increasing the yearbook fee brought back the hardbound version in 1995. Now the book, distributed each fall, features 400 pages of full color.