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American College of Cardiology archives

 Collection
Identifier: MS C 599

Abstract

Correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports, printed materials, publications, photographs, audio tapes and recordings, electronic records, and memorabilia document the many corporate activities of the American College of Cardiology. Produced by the American College of Cardiology's executive offices.

Dates

  • 1929-2008

Extent

43.6 Linear Feet (94 boxes)

Creator

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Copyright and Re-use Information

Donor's copyrights were transferred to the public domain. Archival collections often contain mixed copyrights; while NLM is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. It is the user's responsibility to research and understand any applicable copyright and re-publication rights not allowed by fair use. NLM does not grant permissions to publish.

Privacy Information

Archives and manuscript collections may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in any collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications for which the National Library of Medicine assumes no responsibility.

Historical Note

The American College of Cardiology was founded in the winter of 1949 by three cardiologists, Drs. Franz Groedel, Max Miller, and Philip Reichert, from the New York Cardiological Society. Their goal was to build a nationwide organization dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge on cardiovascular science and the promotion of cardiovascular research.

After incorporating the College in Delaware and the District of Columbia, the three founders were joined by eleven more members of the New York Cardiological Society and the College began the effort to expand its membership base. Dr. Groedel became President and Dr. Reichert, Secretary; unfortunately, Dr. Groedel died as a result of a freak accident shortly before the College's first meeting in December 1951. He was replaced as President by Dr. Bruno Kisch.

From 1949 to 1954 the College operated out of the New York homes of Drs. Kisch and Reichert. By 1954 the growth of the College's membership and programs led the College to seek a more centralized facility and the College's offices were moved to the Empire State Building in Manhattan.

The College maintained offices in the Empire State Building until 1965. During that time a number of programs were initiated, including but not limited to the Annual Scientific Sessions, Preceptorship Workshops, Electronmicroscopic Laboratory, International Circuit Courses, and ACCEL -- an audio tape journal. In addition, it began publishing a written journal, the American Journal of Cardiology, later known as the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Major transitions occurred for the College in 1965. First, Dr. Reichert, who had been serving as the College's Executive Director since 1959, retired and was replaced by William Nelligan, a medical education administrator from Emory University. Secondly, the College relocated its offices to Bethesda, Maryland, near the District of Columbia, to be closer to the national centers of politics and medical research.

From 1965 to 1977 the College operated out of the offices of a medical society located near the National Institutes of Health. The continued growth of the College's programs and membership resulted in the decision to build its own administrative and educational facility in the late 1960s. Construction on this facility, called Heart House, was started in 1975 on a parcel of land just northwest of the National Institutes of Health. In 1985, a new wing was built and by the late 1980s plans were developed for a third wing.

Collection Summary

Correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports, printed materials, publications, photographs, audio tapes and recordings, electronic records, and memorabilia (43.6 linear feet; 1929-2008) document the many corporate activities of the American College of Cardiology. Produced by the American College of Cardiology's executive offices; i.e., its Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, and two Executive Directors, Dr. Philip Reichert and Mr. William Nelligan. While most of the material is concentrated in the period 1951-2008, corporate materials date from the College's founding in 1949; some ancillary material stretches back to the 1920s.

There is no separate collection of material for the Board of Governors, and very few documents for past presidents, prominent members, and major College programs. Material for these groups and topics, however, can sometimes be found among unrelated subgroups. Minutes and reports for the Board of Governors may be found interspersed within the Board of Trustee and Executive Committee Minutes. Papers for past presidents and prominent members, as well as documents and correspondence on major College programs such as Workshops, Journals, ACCEL, Encyclopedia of Cardiology, Electronmicroscopic Laboratory, and Bethesda Conferences may be found among the Papers of Philip Reichert and the Papers of William Nelligan.

Abstract

Correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports, printed materials, publications, photographs, audio tapes and recordings, electronic records, and memorabilia document the many corporate activities of the American College of Cardiology. Produced by the American College of Cardiology's executive offices.

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Provenance

Gift, American College of Cardiology, 1975, 1987, 2012. Accession #398, 1999-023, 2012-012.

General

Processed by
Alice Griffin; History Associates Inc.
Processing Completed
August 2013
Encoded by
Alice Griffin; John P. Rees
Title
Finding Aid to the American College of Cardiology archives, 1929-2008
Status
Unverified Partial Draft
Author
Alice Griffin; History Associates Inc.
Date
August 2013
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latn
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English
Edition statement
1.0

Collecting Area Details

Part of the Archives and Modern Manuscripts Collection Collecting Area

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