ASHA establishes the Nation’s first Social Hygiene Day

ASHA staged its first Social Hygiene Day in 1937, which also focused on campaigning against syphilis. The event included conferences, community meetings, radio talks, press releases and a message from President Roosevelt. In that same year, Walter Clarke as ASHA’s Executive Director succeeded Dr. Snow. To honor its first executive director, ASHA created the William Freeman Snow Award presented to individuals who had outstanding accomplishments in the field of social hygiene. The first award went to Edward L Keyes, Jr. in 1938 and Dr. Parran in 1939. In his acceptance speech, Dr. Parran acknowledged ASHA’s role in educating the public on the importance of venereal disease, without which the Venereal Disease Control Act of 1938 would not have been possible.

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