"The Big Easy" Hosts AHC Conference

NEW ORLEANS - The Association for the History of Chiropractic (AHC) held its 23rd annual Conference on Chiropractic History on March 15 at the Omni Royal Hotel in New Orleans, in conjunction with the Research Agenda Conference (RAC) and the annual meeting of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC).

Nine papers were presented at this year's conference:

1. "The Early Years of Organized Chiropractic Orthopedics," by Claire D. Johnson, DC, MS Ed., and Bart N. Green, DC, MS Ed.
2. "Dr. Frank Dean," by Charles Cooper, DC.
3. "The Stories These Old Bones Could Tell: the History of the Palmer Osteological Collection," by Roger Hynes, DC, LCP (hon).
4. "With Head, Heart and Hands," by Glenda Wiese, MA, ABD.
5. "Edwin H. Kimmel, DC, DABCO, FICC: Politician, Scholar & Teacher," by Joseph C. Keating, Jr., PhD.
6. "The Famous Surgeon's Wife and the Origin of HIO," by Fred H. Barge, DC, PhC.
7. "John Q. Thaxton: the Rudder of the ICA Ship," by Eric Russell, DC, LCP (hon).
8. "Periodical Sources of Chiropractic History," by Joseph C. Keating, Jr., PhD, and Lawrence Siordia, MD, DC.
9. "Finding Langworthy: the Last Years of a Chiropractic Pioneer," by Steve Troyanovich, DC, and Russell Gibbons.

The AHC's annual prize for best paper was awarded to Dr. Troyanovich and Mr. Gibbons for their probing investigation of the career of Solon M. Langworthy, DC, one of the most significant early builders of the profession.

Also announced at the conference were the newly elected officers of the AHC:

Arthur G. Lensgraf, DC, president;
Jerry Ray Willis, DC, first vice president;
Bart N. Green, DC, MS, Ed, second vice president; and
Kenneth J. Young, DC, DACBR, secretary.

Immediate Past President P. Reginald Hug, DC, will continue to serve on the association's executive board. Alana Callender, MS, was re-appointed executive director of the organization, and John Willis, DC, was re-appointed editor of the AHC journal, Chiropractic History. Re-elected to the AHC board of directors was William Holmberg, DC, and newly elected to the board were former AHC President Joseph C. Keating, Jr., PhD, and former New York Chiropractic College President Kenneth Padgett, DC, all of whom will work with continuing board members Carl S. Cleveland, DC; Edward D. McKenzie, DC; Allen Parry, DC; and Lawrence Siordia, MD, DC.

In addition to being elected to the AHC executive board, Dr. Padgett received the Lee-Homewood Chiropractic Heritage Award in gratitude for his lifetime contributions to the profession. He was honored at an awards luncheon attended by participants of the AHC, RAC and ACC conferences. In accepting the award, Dr. Padgett expressed his career-long wish for greater unity within the profession.

The awards luncheon also provided an occasion for the airing of a videotape prepared by Dr. Cleveland and the National Chiropractic Legal Action Fund (NCLAF). The nine-minute presentation, "Simple Justice," places the profession's current legal endeavors within the context of the century-long struggle against oppression by organized political medicine. Dr. Cleveland acknowledged the extensive assistance provided by the AHC in the preparation of the documentary. Copies of the tape may be requested from Dr. Cleveland or the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

The AHC was pleased to announce the publication of its newest book in chiropractic history: A Profession Persecuted: The History of Chiropractic in New Jersey, by Leonard F. Vernon. The text is available through Ms. Callender at 563-884-5404.

Eight sponsors also were noted for their financial contributions to the association. In the "platinum" category: National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company; in the "silver" category: the ACA; ACC; Breakthrough Coaching; and Life University; and as "patrons," Foot Levelers, Inc., Hessco; and the University of Natural Healing Arts.

The 2004 Conference on Chiropractic History will be held in Mexico City. For more information, contact the AHC at:

Association for the History of Chiropractic
1000 Brady Street
Davenport, IA 52803
(563) 884-5404