History and Heritage of the AAS

Looking at the past illustrates how we build upon historical accomplishments, and how to create a new future.

Since 1962, the American Institute of Physics (AIP) has worked to preserve the heritage of science and to communicate that history to the public. The Niels Bohr Library & Archives (NBLA) is the collecting repository of AIP and its Member Societies. Additionally, it serves as a clearinghouse for the history of physics and allied sciences in its online catalog. Its holdings capture the heritage of the physical sciences community and bring its luminaries to life.

In addition to the AIP and Member Society records, the NBLA contains a few hidden treasures. One of these is Richard Feynman’s handwritten calculus notebook that was recently profiled in AIP’s Physics Today magazine. The full breadth of the collections includes over 20,000 books, over 2,000 linear feet of manuscript collections, and 30,000 images in the Emilio Segrè Visual Archives.

History comes alive through the words of those who have dedicated their lives to advancing astronomy. The NBLA has over 85 collections by or about the AAS including records from 1897-1988 with new material being added every year. The Emilio Segrè Visual Archives contains a rich variety of photographs of AAS events, presidential portraits, and more personal shots donated by the scientists themselves. Our expansive oral history collection is available online and is full-text searchable; it includes interviews with Vera Rubin, Bart Bok, Arlo Landolt, E. Margaret Burbidge, and Harlow Shapley.

The NBLA is open to the public and welcomes researchers from all over the world both in-person and online. Collections are frequently used by historians of science, filmmakers, scientists, and teachers. Staff is available to answer questions, help researchers find out more about the AAS, or to discuss potential book, archival, or photo donation opportunities at [email protected] or 301-209-3177. For a snapshot of what materials are available from the AAS, see our new online portal.

AAS Member Society Representative George (Fritz) Benedict visited the Niels Bohr Library & Archives in March 2017 to see some photographs and archival materials from AAS's history, including a 1922 photograph of the 28th AAS meeting at Yerkes Observatory, a handwritten meeting minute book, several “Career in Astronomy” pamphlets from 1958-1986, and the Astrophysical Journal “crank mail” files from 1977-1983.