REXX is a procedural language with many novel features. Its goal was to make programming easier in the belief that getting the design right for people to use is more important than providing for easy implementation. REXX development depended on the use of electronic mail. As a result, and perhaps uniquely for a programming language, there is an essentially complete historical record of the design process and discussions. This article describes the early history of REXX, illustrated by quotations from the electronic mail record and from other contemporary documents.< >