History of the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

In this section

How much more could you do if you joined forces with hundreds—or even thousands—of other inspired minds? The founders of the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ asked that same question back in 1948, and our organization was born.

More than 75 years later, we’re a thriving, global community of 44,000+ neurologists and neurology professionals. Our mission? To enhance member career fulfillment and promote brain health for all.

Digital archives

Want to see some history? Explore our archive of historical correspondence, photos, and publications.

AB Baker

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Letterhead

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

Four Horsemen

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

Letter to establish Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

Poster display

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

1996 Annual Courses

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

1989 Member Directory

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

Western Union Telegram

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

ABPN Letter

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

1949 Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­AM Program Cover

Sample of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Digital Archive Contents  

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Past Presidents

A.B. Baker, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1948-1951

Pearce Bailey, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1951-1953

Howard D. Fabing, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1953-1955

Walter O. Klingman, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1955-1957

Francis M. Forster, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1957-1959

Augustus S. Rose, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1959-1961

Adolph L. Sahs, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1961-1963

Joseph M. Foley, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1963-1965

Charles A. Kane, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1965-1967

Richard P. Schmidt, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1967-1969

Sidney Carter, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1969-1971

Joe R. Brown, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1971-1973

Gilbert H. Glaser, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1973-1975

Robert A. Fishman, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1975-1977

Robert J. Joynt, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1977-1979

Dewey K. Ziegler, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1979-1981

Nelson G. Richards, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1983-1985

Melvin Greer, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1985-1987

Theodore L. Munsat, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1987-1989

Lewis P. Rowland, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1989-1991

Roger N. Rosenberg, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1991-1993

Jack P. Whisnant, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1993-1995

Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1995-1997

Steven P. Ringel, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1997-1999

Francis I. Kittredge, Jr., MD, JD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
1999-2001

Stanley Fahn, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2001-2003

Sandra F. Olson, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2003-2005

Thomas R. Swift, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2005-2007

Stephen M. Sergay, MB BCh, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2007-2009

Robert C. Griggs, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2009-2011

Bruce Sigsbee, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2011-2013

Timothy A. Pedley, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2013-2015

Terrence L. Cascino, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2015-2017

Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2017-2019

James C. Stevens, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2019-2021

Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2021-2023

Carlayne E. Jackson, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­
2023-2025

Oral history interview transcripts

Hear from the neurology icons who helped create and shape the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­! These interviews were conducted by the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­’s member-led History Section or by Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ staff, and they provide a first-hand glimpse at how our organization has grown and changed over the years.

Interview Subject

Date

Location

Interviewer

Notes

A.B. Baker, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 29, 1982

Washington, DC

Maynard M. Cohen, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

With Adolph Sahs, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Terrence L. Cascino, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 12, 2017

Minneapolis, MN

Tim Streeter

  

Maynard M. Cohen, MD, PhD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

August 1, 2012

Woods Hole, MA

Christopher Goetz, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Barbara W. Sommer

Includes photos and CV

Robert B. Daroff, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Part 1

Part 2

 

February 22, 2014

April 20, 2014

 

Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, MSPH, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Barbara W. Sommer

Russell DeJong, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 29, 1982

Washington, DC

Robert D. Currier, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

With Francis M. Forster, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Peter J. Dyck, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 4, 2018

Philadelphia, PA

Christopher J. Boes, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

 

Stanley Fahn, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 24, 2017

Boston, MA

Tim Streeter

 

Stanley Fahn, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 20, 2015

Washington, DC

Michael S. Okun, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Lauren E. Klaffke

 

Joseph M. Foley, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

December 8, 2011

Cleveland Heights, OH

Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, MSPH, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Barbara W. Sommer

Includes photos and CV

Joseph M. Foley, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

August 28, 2008

Phone interview

Tim Streeter

Included as an Appendix in the above transcript

Francis M. Forster, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

December 9, 1997 to April 7, 1998

 

Edited by Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, MSPH, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Correspondence with Robert B. Daroff, MD, and Lewis P. Rowland, MD

Francis M. Forster, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 29, 1982

Washington, DC

Robert D. Currier, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

With Russell DeJong, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Robert C. Griggs, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 22, 2017

Boston, MA

Tim Streeter

 

Sami I. Harik, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

June 9, 2014

Phone interview

Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, MSPH, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

 

Kenneth M. Heilman, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

November 4, 2013

Gainesville, FL

Heidi L. Roth, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Barbara W. Sommer

Includes photos

Carlayne E. Jackson, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

June 12, 2025

Minneapolis, MN

Jessie Ehreth

Francis I. Kittredge, Jr., MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 22, 2017

Boston, MA

Tim Streeter

With Roger N. Rosenberg, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

William M. Landau, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

August 10, 2012

St. Louis, MO

Victor W. Henderson, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Barbara W. Sommer

 Includes photos and CV

M. Marsel Mesulam, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

January 12, 2015

Chicago, IL

Kirk R. Daffner, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Lauren E. Klaffke

 

Brenda Milner, PhD, ScD

December 2, 2011

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Heidi L. Roth, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Barbara W. Sommer

Includes photos and CV

Sandra F. Olson, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 23, 2017

Boston, MA

Tim Streeter

  

Timothy A. Pedley, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

November 10, 2018

Minneapolis, MN

Tim Streeter

 

Jerome B. Posner, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

October 13, 2014

New York, NY

Lisa M. DeAngelis MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Lauren E. Klaffke

 

Stanley B. Prusiner, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

 April 27, 2017   Boston, MA  Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, FSPH, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Lauren E. Klaffke

Appendix 1: Photos from interview

Appendix 2: Images of other “prions”

Joseph A. Resch, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

January 29, 2008

Lauderdale, MN

Tim Streeter

 

Nelson G. Richards, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

June 29, 2017

Interview via email

Tim Streeter

 

Steven P. Ringel, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 23, 2017

Boston, MA

Tim Streeter

 

Lewis P. "Bud" Rowland, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

November 18, 2012

New York, NY

Steven Frucht, MD, and Barbara W. Sommer

With Esther Rowland; includes photos and CV

Roger N. Rosenberg, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 22, 2017

Boston, MA

Tim Streeter

With Francis I. Kittredge, Jr., MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

July 11, 2019

Minneapolis, MN

Tim Streeter

In Memoriam

Adolph Sahs, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 29, 1982

Washington, DC

Maynard M. Cohen, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

With A.B. Baker, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Stephen M. Sergay, MB BCh, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 23, 2017

Boston, MA

Tim Streeter

 

Thomas R. Swift, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

April 22, 2017

Boston, MA

Tim Streeter

 

H. Richard Tyler, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

August 26, 2013

Brookline, MA

Kenneth L. Tyler, MD, FÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, and Barbara W. Sommer

Photos and information on the H. Richard Tyler Collection of the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Library