Lettrism yafumine mu Paris pakati ka myaka ya 1940, yapangilwe na kalemba Isidore Isou uwafyalilwe ku Romania.
Mu kutampa kwa myaka ya ba1950, Lettrism yalikumine intungulushi sha ba avant-garde, ukuyampana na ba Situationism elyo ne ntungulushi shimbi sha ku Bulaya ilyo inkondo yapwile. Abalembele Lettrist balipangile ifikope, ukubikapo amashiwi ne cikope ku kukusha inshila sha kulanshanishishamo ukucila pa milembele ya kale.