The Society was founded in 1990 by a group of American friends who had lived in Bahrain in connection with U. S. diplomatic, military or business affiliations and had developed an affection for the country and its people. The Society was established with the approval and support of the Amir of Bahrain and the endorsement of the President of the United States. The Society reflects the special relationship that has long existed between the United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain, a relationship founded initially in 1893 when the American Mission Hospital, the oldest in Bahrain, began as a dispensary at a time when health services were at their initial stages in Bahrain. A long and fruitful association with the U. S. Navy beginning in 1949 also reflects that special relationship. These relationships have developed into a rich and multifaceted interaction involving business, academic and governmental dimensions.