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Théodule Ribot (1839-1916) was one of the first to consider the relationship between memory and emotions. Within what he labeled “affective memory”, he uncovered a kind of memory proper to emotions. This idea initiated a controversy about the existence, the definition and the content of the notion of “affective memory”. After Ribot’s initial proposal, one could observe the gradual emergence of a consensus: even though affective memory can be distinguished from intellectual memory, every recollection nonetheless displays, in various degrees, intellectual and affective elements. While contemporary academia has long lost track of these debates, we show that it is nevertheless possible to establish a conceptual continuity with contemporary scientific research, which would benefit from revisiting this century-old literature.