Both the discovery of the x-ray and the founding of the National Medical Association (NMA) occurred in 1895. Radiologists have participated importantly in the NMA since the lecture of Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland at the 1909 Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, which led to his election as president of the NMA for the following year. The Section on Radiology was founded in 1949 with Dr. William Allen as its first Section Chair.

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Serving as an educational source for its members, the National Medical Association attracts a national and international audience of more than 3,000 predominately African American physicians to its annual convention. The Section on Radiology/Radiation Oncology of the NMA aligns its goals with the mission of the parent organization to eliminate healthcare disparities, while improving the overall health of our communities. By providing a comprehensive CME program on the latest imaging and radiation oncology technology, we ensure that physicians engage in continual learning and by doing so patients receive the most appropriate care.