CelebratingThe Journal of Rheumatology’s 50th Year of Publication

The year 2023 marks the 50th year of publication of The Journal of Rheumatology . To celebrate this milestone, I will look back on our history from its inception to the present day, highlight some significant accomplishments, examine the special features that will be published to mark the occasion, and consider the future. The Journal was established in 1974 by Dr. Metro Ogryzlo as an independent, privately held, international medical journal that was not associated with a national rheumatology society. Metro was dedicated to the promotion of rheumatology. He recognized that the concept of rheumatology as a separate specialty was beginning to be recognized in North America, and, to help disseminate new scientific information, he created The Journal of Rheumatology . In 1974, there were only 11 other rheumatology journals and only one other journal was not associated with a national rheumatology society. The Journal began as a quarterly publication in March 1974. It was formally introduced at the VI Pan American Congress in June 1974 in Toronto. There were 130 pages total for the entire year of 1974. The Journal began publishing a bimonthly edition in 1979, and in 1988 it became a monthly print version (the 15th volume). With “Perspectives in Pediatric Rheumatology,” The Journal was the first journal to offer a publication dedicated to topics in pediatric rheumatology and continues to publish important research in this … Address correspondence to Dr. E.D. Silverman, Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Rheumatology, 365 Bloor Street East, Suite 901, Toronto, ON M4W 3L4, Canada. Email: esilverman{at}jrheum.com.