diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..319e0e70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+Libevent is available for use under the following license, commonly known
+as the 3-clause (or "modified") BSD license:
+
+==============================
+Copyright (c) 2000-2007 Niels Provos <provos@citi.umich.edu>
+Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Niels Provos and Nick Mathewson
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+are met:
+1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+   documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+3. The name of the author may not be used to endorse or promote products
+   derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
+IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
+NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
+THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+==============================
+
+Portions of Libevent are based on works by others, also made available by
+them under the three-clause BSD license above.  The copyright notices are
+available in the corresponding source files; the license is as above.  Here's
+a list:
+
+log.c:
+   Copyright (c) 2000 Dug Song <dugsong@monkey.org>
+   Copyright (c) 1993 The Regents of the University of California.
+
+strlcpy.c:
+   Copyright (c) 1998 Todd C. Miller <Todd.Miller@courtesan.com>
+
+win32select.c:
+   Copyright (c) 2003 Michael A. Davis <mike@datanerds.net>
+
+evport.c:
+   Copyright (c) 2007 Sun Microsystems
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 275087e7..22e7d3e3 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ pkgconfigdir=$(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA=libevent.pc
 
 EXTRA_DIST = \
+	LICENSE \
 	autogen.sh evdns.3 \
 	event.3 \
 	libevent.pc \