American Paraplegia Society 1954-2004; our legacy, our future.

This article chronicles the 50-year history of the American Paraplegia Society (APS), the oldest professional organization serving clinicians and researchers in the field of spinal cord injury. Formed following World War II by physicians striving to provide optimal care to soldiers paralyzed as a result of combat injuries, APS continues to serve more than 500 of these professionals today. Its support of education and research has helped to position spinal cord medicine in the forefront of rapidly advancing fields. The accomplishments of the APS, and the individuals whose dedicated efforts were essential to these accomplishments, are detailed in this article.