Fellowship of Reconciliation - Berea Chapter Collection

These are the records of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Berea Chapter, founded in 1936. The Fellowship of Reconciliation (F.O.R.) was founded in Cam­bridge, England in 1914, and an American organization was established the following year. Its purposes were to oppose war and violence in international relations and to promote alternative means of reducing tension among nations and peoples. A chapter was organized in Berea in 1936 with Willis Fisher as chairperson. The group was active in work with conscientious objectors during World War II, in support of civil rights, and in protesting U.S. policies during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. Materials in the collection include minutes (1936-1970); financial records (1940-1963); membership lists (1939-1970); reports, national and local newsletters/publications; newspaper clippings; photographs of demon­strations and retreats (29 snapshots); and correspondence. The correspondence is comprised principally of letters received by chapter officers from conscientious objectors who were serving in Civilian Public Service camps in various locations during the war as a form of alternative service. Letters were frequently written during the Christmas holiday season and generally take the form of reports on camp and personal activities. Also included in the collection is correspondence documenting meeting activities, program arrangements, and other membership matters.