National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (PDF, 30KB)
This legislation, Public Law 81-507, signed by President Harry S. Truman on May 10, 1950, established the National Science Foundation.

A Timeline of NSF History
NSF history by decade

Address to the Centennial Anniversary AAAS
President Harry S. Truman's September, 1948 speech to the Centennial AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. This speech is credited with giving rise to NSF's creation.

Annual Reports
Since 1951, NSF has published a yearly report presenting some of the highlights and research results that occurred in the previous fiscal year.

History of Global Health Impacts
Selected articles about how discoveries from NSF-supported basic research are helping in the fight against biothreats.

Milestones in the rules of life--from genes to proteins
NSF-supported research in the 1950s and 1960s led to the unraveling of the mystery of protein synthesis and earned the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for four researchers.

Selected Bibliography of the National Science Foundation
Includes general histories of NSF and publications about NSF's impact on specific disciplines and fields.

Science - The Endless Frontier
A report to the President by Vannevar Bush, Director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, July 1945.

State of the Union Address (Excerpt 1) (Excerpt 2)
Excerpts from the Address Delivered by President Harry S. Truman on January 4, 1950.

The National Science Foundation: A Brief History
A report by George T. Mazuzan, Former NSF Historian, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, July 15, 1994. (General Publication, NSF8816, 1994)