The American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education, 1940-1984: Innovation, Introspection, Identity, and Involvement

Abstract

In 2005, the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education reached its 75th anniversary. In celebration of this momentous occasion, this paper examines 44 years of the Academy's history from 1940 to 1984. During the 1940s, the Academy was engaged in the war effort. Then in the 1950s, it sought to defi ne more precisely its role and function as an organization. The 1960s saw the Academy embark on a “Body of Knowledge” project, while the emergence of subdisciplines in the 1970s moved the Academy to question its nomenclature and challenge its leadership. The next decade, it made a valiant, though unsuccessful, attempt to unify subdisciplines. Nevertheless, the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education produced a distinguished record of signifi cant achievements during this 44-year time period