It’s September 18, Happy Chiropractic Founders Day! The profession we love got its official start on this day 130 years ago.
On September 18, 1895, Daniel David Palmer, better known in the business as D.D. Palmer, performed the first chiropractic adjustment and changed the course of history. His patient, Harvey Lillard, custodian of the Ryan Building in downtown Davenport, Iowa, where Palmer had an office, returned the following day to express his gratitude to Palmer for the relief he felt. Here’s a little more on why we celebrate Chiropractic Founders Day.
Prior to his history-making treatment that day, wrote Louis Sportelli, DC, in his 2019 article “The Discovery, Development and Current Status of the Chiropractic Profession,” Palmer had been a practitioner of what was known as magnetic healing and had a broad knowledge of human anatomy, along with some theories that were very outside-the-box at that time.
“His interest in anatomy led him to consider the effect of minor derangements of the spine (which he called ‘subluxations’) upon the nervous system,” Sportelli wrote. “DD also mused that there was a connection between the nervous system and the regulation of human organ systems. He theorized that manipulation of the spine (which he called spinal adjustments) could have a salutary effect on the body.”
Two years after adjusting that patient, Palmer established the Palmer School and Cure just up the hill on Brady Street to share the chiropractic techniques that had transformed Lillard’s life with students. Today Palmer College of Chiropractic is thriving, with campuses in Davenport, Iowa, and Port Orange, Florida.
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The next generation
Palmer’s son, Bartlett Joshua “B.J.” Palmer, followed his father’s lead and also became a DC, and in 1926 founded the International Chiropractors Association (ICA). The respect the chiropractic profession gets today that affords it the ability to positively impact so many people’s lives, they say, is a direct result of B.J. Palmer’s efforts.
“This year, as we celebrate the 98th anniversary of the International Chiropractors Association, we honor not only the origins of chiropractic but also the remarkable strides the profession has made in improving the quality of life for patients around the world,” ICA leadership commented in a Chiropractic Founders Day press release in 2024.
“Under the leadership of D.D.’s son, B.J. Palmer, chiropractic expanded into a recognized and respected healthcare profession. B.J. Palmer not only helped build the foundational principles of chiropractic but also advocated for the establishment of chiropractic licensure and education,” they continued. “His efforts ensured that chiropractors would be able to practice with the recognition and respect they deserved, and today, thanks to the ICA and other organizations and individuals like it, chiropractic is recognized as an essential part of healthcare.”
Life West’s president, Peter Kevorkian, salutes D.D. Palmer on Founder’s Day
A hard road and hard-won respect
Doctors of chiropractic have struggled to earn respect since those early years and have not always had an easy time practicing without criticism and outright opposition. The Joint Chiropractic posted an article earlier this month with a more detailed history of that time period, describing how many DCs were jailed in the early 20th century, including D.D. Palmer himself in 1906, for practicing medicine without a license. Opposition continued throughout the 20th century even as chiropractic steadily earned respect.
“The struggle was real, the resistance was fierce and the survival of chiropractic is a testament to the passion of both doctors and their patients,” The Joint’s post said.
“As we celebrate the 130th anniversary of chiropractic, we honor D.D. Palmer for sparking a movement, and B.J. Palmer for carrying it forward. We honor the countless chiropractors who sacrificed their freedom and their comfort to keep the practice alive. Most importantly, we honor the patients who stood by their doctors, trusted their care and demanded their right to access it.
“Chiropractic Founders Day is about recognizing the progress of today and imagining the possibilities of tomorrow. With research continuing to grow, with access expanding through organizations like The Joint, and with millions of people choosing chiropractic as part of their health journey, the future is brighter than ever,” the Joint’s post concluded.
More accolades for chiropractic pioneers
Life University, a chiropractic college founded in 1974 in Marietta, Georgia, hosted an early birthday party for the chiropractic profession this year on September 11, when students, faculty and staff gathered on campus to share free food and giveaways, challenge each other’s chiropractic trivia prowess and sign a giant birthday card.
“Chiropractic Founders Day is a time to reflect on all the good that Chiropractic has brought to the world, as well as honoring mentors, teachers and practitioners that push the profession forward,” a university blog post noted. “Life University once again offers heartfelt gratitude and thanks for not only the inspiring efforts of our chiropractic founders, but also for all who invest in chiropractic education and leadership.”
Happy Birthday, Chiropractic!
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