Materials Relating to the Religious Freedom Committee (RFC), 1954-1964
- Extent:
- 0.5 cubic ft.
- Scope and content:
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Organized by Harry F. Ward in 1952 at the suggestion of Methodist pastor, Lee Ball (who was largely reacting to the McCarthyism of the times), the RFC had a national membership of lay people and clergy pledged to work to maintain free exercise of religion as granted by the Bill of Rights. The national executive committee of the RFC consisted of thirty-five and an administrative committee of seventeen consisted of Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish members who were both black and white. The steering committee which was the true energizing force of the RFC included Ward, Ball, Richard Morford (long-time director of the National Council of American-Soviet Friendship), and William Howard Melish, an Episcopal priest. The lawyer of the group was Royal France, whose wife, Ruth, was an active admirer of Ward.
The Link Papers contain the Administrative Committee Minutes of the RFC from 1960-64; the original supporters/sponsors list of the RFC, 1950s-early 1960s; various pamphlets of the organization; and the Religious Freedom News, the official organ of the RFC. The RFC was disbanded in 1965 and many of its ongoing concerns were taken up by the Methodist Federation of Social Action.
- Arrangement:
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Arranged alphabetically.
Contents
Using these materials
- Access:
- The archives are open to the public and anyone is welcome to visit and view the collections.
- Collection restrictions:
- Access to this record group is unrestricted.
- Collection terms of access:
- The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.