We provide information about the history of Federal efforts devoted to public health, preserve and interpret the history of PHS, and promote historically-oriented activities across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with the History Office of the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health Historical Office.

The Public Health Service traces its origins to an Act of Congress signed by President John Adams on July 16, 1798. Today PHS consists of eight PHS Operating Divisions, the Office of Public Health and Science, and ten Regional Health Administrators.

Following up the success of PHS Commissioned Corps 100th anniversary celebration during 1989, the Assistant Secretary for Health created our Office in October 1992. Today the Office is part of The National Library of Medicine, and it is also an affiliate of the Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS).