HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY
In January, 1952, at the Boston Poultry Show a few people met informally and selected Herb Alp to head an organization committee. In June, 1952, this committee met in New York City and the American Poultry Historical Society was organized. It was incorporated under laws of Illinois as an organization not for profit.
At the annual meeting in 1953, plans were developed for a Poultry Hall of Fame. Etchings of the selected honoree were to be prominently displayed together with identification of their contributions to the poultry industry. Selections were to be made on a triennial basis. The Poultry Hall of Fame plaques are displayed at the annual IPPE in Atlanta, GA. The metal plaques bearing the likeness of the honoree plus a summary of his or her accomplishments are prominently displayed in the library.
In 1982, the Society created the Historical Activity Award to be administered by the Poultry Science Association. It is presented each even-numbered year to a person who has been a key figure in identifying, preserving, and making available, the history of the poultry industry.
The Society encourages persons and organizations with valuable poultry artifacts and documents to preserve these items as a part of our agricultural heritage. The society works with museums and libraries located throughout North America to preserve the correct image of poultry history. The Rice Library, founded in memory of the late Professor James E. Rice at Cornell University, the National Agricultural Library, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Agricultural Center, the Agricultural Museum of South Carolina, and are but a few of the places where the Society has placed material.