In This Section

AACR Timeline—Rapid Growth of Research and the AACR: 1940-1963

1940

  • On March 18, at a Business Meeting held during the 33rd Annual Meeting, the first AACR Board of Directors is elected.
    • 1940-1941 
      Elexious T. Bell
      George H.A. Clowes
      Clarence C. Little
      William H. Woglom
    • 1940-1942
      James Ewing
      James B. Murphy
      George M. Smith
      Carl Voegtlin
    • 1940-1943
      Howard B. Andervont
      Halsey J. Bagg
      Burton T. Simpson
      Alphonse A. Thibaudeau
  • On March 19, at the Business Meeting, the AACR’s certificate of incorporation is adopted.
  • The American Journal of Cancer ceases publication with the December issue. Editor-in-chief Francis Carter Wood writes a farewell editorial.

1941

James B. Murphy
James B. Murphy

1943

1947

  • At the 38th Annual Meeting, May 16-17, a policy presentation is made: “On the Organization and Support of Cancer Research” (proceedings page 739), which concludes that the AACR should advocate for increased funding.
Hugh Creech
Hugh Creech

1952

  • A registration fee of $3.00 is introduced for the Annual Meeting.
  • Hugh J. Creech is appointed Secretary-Treasurer (chief administrator); he serves the AACR in that position until 1977.

1953

Elizabeth C. Miller
Elizabeth C. Miller
  • Annual Meeting attendance is recorded for the first time. A total of 487 people attend the 44th Annual Meeting.

1957

1959

  • AACR membership exceeds 1,000.
Renato Dulbecco
Renato Dulbecco

1961

Thelma Dunn
Thelma B. Dunn
  • The first woman president of the AACR, Thelma B. Dunn, is inducted.

1963

  • Cancer Research moves to publication by a commercial publisher (Williams & Wilkins, later Waverly Press).
1916-1939: Focus on Knowledge Dissemination
1964-1981: Emerging Leadership in the Cancer Community