The article posits that for translation theory to emerge as an autonomous discipline, translation historians should overcome the false perception of their status as mere archivists, translation scholars or practitioners 'masquerading' as historians. To this end, the author highlights the relevance of the deconstructionist approach to history in accounting for the significance of post-modern discourse for translation history. This significance has been far-reaching, particularly in matters related to gender, minority, and postcolonialism, as well as question of ethics in translation theory and practice. The developments must be accounted for in translation history from a proactive, interventionist perspective.