American Political Science Association

The American Political Science Association (APSA) is a professional association of political scientists in the United States. Founded in 1903 in the Tilton Memorial Library (now Tilton Hall) of Tulane University in New Orleans, it publishes four academic journals: American Political Science Review, Perspectives on Politics, Journal of Political Science Education, and PS – Political Science & Politics. APSA Organized Sections publish or are associated with 15 additional journals. APSA presidents serve one-year terms. The current president is Susan Stokes of the University of Chicago. Woodrow Wilson, who later became President of the United States, was APSA president in 1909. APSA's headquarters are at 1527 New Hampshire Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., in a historic building included in the Dupont Circle Historic District that was owned by Admiral George Remy, labor leader Samuel Gompers, the American War Mothers, and Harry Garfield, son of President James A. Garfield and president of the association from 1921 to 1922. The purchase of the house happened during Ralph J. Bunche's presidency of APSA (1953-1954), the first African American to serve in that position. In 1969, Mae C. King was the first woman and first African-American woman to serve as a Senior Staff Associate for the Association. And in 2007, Dianne Pinderhughes served as the first African-American woman president of the association. APSA administers the Centennial Center for Political Science and Public Affairs, which offers fellowships, conference, research space and grants for scholars, and administers Pi Sigma Alpha, the honor society for political science students. It also periodically sponsors seminars and other events for political scientists, policymakers, the media, and the general public.