In 1865, at Boston, Massachusetts, a society for the study of social questions was organized and given the name American Social Science Association. The group grew to where its membership totaled about 1,000 persons. About 30 corresponding members were located in Europe. It published annually the Journal of Social Science.

Members of the group worked in five departments:

• Education and art
• Health
• Trade and finance
• Social economy
• Jurisprudence

In 1898 the society founded the National Institute of Arts and Letters which developed into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.