Oral

Since our inception in 1872, The Association continues to be the major public health organization that spans the wide range of public health professionals, educators, advocates, researchers, and students. Our history matters – and it shapes our future. But it has been over one third of our Association’s second century, with no overall organized documentation of our history since the last Association history was published in 1972, This session suitably sets the stage and the landscape in which APHA was formed, developed and represented public health in all its diversity, change, and challenge. Notably the Session marks the APHA launch of a multi -year Public Health History Project lo draw together sources, synthesize themes and experience of APHA to illuminate, present the lessons, and reflect on the “then and now” of our history as we chart the future, The project is anchored in a web based interactive platform that invites participation and presents the multiplicity and diversity of the public health community. The operative theme of the Project is “We own our history and we will create our future”. Our history is the legacy that provides the portal to this future The Session explores the themes that are at the core of APHA and the historic trends in the context of the long arc of public health and lessons both current and relevant to our future.

Session Objectives: Describe the American Public Health Association History Project. Identify the aims and components that comprise the multi-year multisource web platform. List the participatory opportunities of APHA organizational components, members, and collegial associations to participate and contribute to the APHA History Project and through its wiki-like structure.