The Flat Earth Society (or the International Flat Earth Research Society) is an organization claiming that the Earth is flat (most of us think it is round; a sphere). It was started by Samuel Shenton in 1956. Charles K. Johnson was the leader and made his home the organization's base. The Flat Earth Society is thought to have "disbanded" (stopped existing) after Johnson's death in 2001, but some websites still use the organization's name.