The advent of the Academy of Psychoanalysis, as it was first called, was an event waiting to happen by 1956. This was in the light of restrictive policies on the part of the American Psychoanalytic Association at that time, including limiting participation at its scientific meetings; a geographic rule regarding training analysts impeding their teaching at psychoanalytic institutes, independent or university connected, outside of the jurisdiction of the American, and not encouraging presentations and publications by presumed dissidents. Both among then existing members of the American; and as a grassroots movement on the part of members of developing institutes, a new forum for the discussion of theoretical and clinical matters at the cutting edge of psychoanalysis was felt to be desirable. This essay recalls some early attempts and their successful outcome in the pursuit of such purpose through the establishment of the Academy.