From its founding, the American Academy was engaged in one of the earliest efforts to collect and analyze medical data as it pertained mainly to births and deaths, as a means of promoting public health.
The Academy Archives preserves and shares the acceptance letters of members. Selected letters are shared in online galleries and include letters from George Washington, Mary Leakey, and Nelson Mandela.
The Academy’s Archives preserve letters of acceptance submitted by new members. A gallery of letters from women accepted to the Academy has been prepared for Women’s History Month.