National Conference of Christians and Jews records
Scope and Content
The National Conference of Christians and Jews records include annual reports, conference and institute proceedings, speeches, administrative records, studies, project files, pamphlets and NCCJ publications, and correspondence. The records also contain the speeches, articles and correspondence of Everett Ross Clinchy, who was the founding director of the organization, as well as materials from other early officers and significant figures.
The NCCJ records document the organization's effort to facilitate dialogue and understanding between major religions and to promote religious freedom and tolerance, racial justice, and cultural understanding. Among many other topics, the records document such NCCJ programs as: Brotherhood Week, "Tolerance Trio" tours by religious leaders associated with the conference; special projects, such as the Religious Freedom and Public Affairs Project; conferences, seminars, and institutes held by the NCCJ; responses to political and religious persecution of Jews during the 1930s and work during World War II; efforts to reconcile Christian actions during the Holocaust and to commemorate the events of the Holocaust; and efforts to promote religious tolerance in politics, industry and in all levels of education, including theological seminary education. Mid 20th century concepts of democracy, brotherhood, good will, tolerance, and religious liberty are frequently reflected in the records. The early history and activities of the International Conference of Christians and Jews are also reflected in the records.
Dates
- 1927-1989
Language of Materials
English
Use of Materials
Open for use in Social Welfare History Archives reading room.
Copyright
Contact the Archives for copyright information.
Historical Note
The National Conference of Christians and Jews, was formed in 1928 to facilitate cooperation between religions on civic and social justice issues and to promote understanding and mutual respect through education and dialogue. The roots of the conference's founding conference lay in the Committee on Good Will between Jews and Christians, which was founded circa 1923 within the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Dr Alfred Anthony, executive secretary of the Home Missions Council, and John W. Herrings, of the Federal Council's staff, provided early initiative and leadership for the committee. Accounts of its founding indicate that the committee was formed, in part, as a response to the resurgence and popularity of the Ku Klux Klan during the 1920s. The Conference began as a series of meetings and discussions between a small group of supporters and interested individuals. Early backers of the idea included leaders of the Federal council of the Churches of Christ, B'nai B'rith, the Central Conference of Rabbis, and the Roman Catholic Church. In 1927, the decision to create the National Conference of Christians and Jews was formalized. Everett R. Clinchy was appointed to direct a program for the conference. In the fall of 1928, the organization's first seminar, created by Clinchy, was hosted by Columbia University. Clinchy also secured cooperation of three co-chairman for the new organization: Carlton J. H. Hayes as the Catholic co-chairman, Newton D Baker as the Protestant co-chairman; and Roger Williams Strauss (who was an early supporter of the Conference) as the Jewish co-chairman. Following World War II, the organization was involved in international effors to define genocide, prevent further Anti-Semitism in Europe and the United States, and combat racism and religious prejudice in the United States and internationally. They launched several large scale initiatives around "intergroup relations," youth programs, and identifying and addressing prejudice in parochial and secular school texts. They also supported civil rights and Holocaust remembrance and education. The organization continues to work for social justice as the National Conference for Community and Justice.
Extent
75 Linear Feet
Abstract
The National Conference of Christians and Jews records include annual reports, conference and institute proceedings, Brotherhood Week materials, speeches, pamphlets, correspondence, and the speeches, articles and correspondence of Everett R Clinchy, who was the founding director of the organization.
Arrangement of the Records
The National Conference of Christians and Jews records are arranged in 17 series:
- Series 1. Historical Materials
- Series 2. Organizational Records
- Series 3. Conferences, Seminars and Institutes
- Series 4. Brotherhood Week
- Series 5. Special Projects
- Series 6. NCCJ Self Studies
- Series 7. Other Organizations
- Series 8. NCCJ Officers and Personnel
- Series 9. Speeches
- Series 10. NCCJ Public Relations and Publications
- Series 11. Commission on Educational Organizations
- Series 12. National Awards Committee
- Series 13. Regional Relations
- Series 14. Israel Study Group
- Series 15. Christian Study Group
- Series 16. Church Struggle and the Holocaust Records
- Series 17. Publications from other Organizations
Acquisition Information
The National Conference of Christians and Jews gave its records to the Social Welfare History Archives in April, 1976. NCCJ maintained an archives as a part of the Lazarus Library, which preserved documents thought to be of particular value in documenting the history of the Conference. These documents, which date primarily from the 1930s through the early 1950s, comprise the first 11 boxes of the NCCJ records. Additional records dating from 1950 or later were removed from inactive files of various individuals and offices and were also given to the Archives in 1976. Additional shipments of material arrived in 1982 and 1991.
Processing Information
NCCJ maintained an archives as a part of the Lazarus Library, which preserved records dating from the 1930s to the early 1950s that were thought to be of particular value in documenting the history of the Conference. This material has been kept separate from the remainder of the NCCJ records and is housed in the first eleven boxes. Materials dating from 1950 or later that were removed from the inactive files of various individuals and offices arrived at the Archives is a less organized fashion and were processed by Archives staff.
The arrangement of the records has been left largely intact. The only changes made were in the order of the series in relation to each other and in placing loose material in folders. The records appear to have been consciously selected and arranged by NCCJ staff. In some cases, files appear to have remained intact in the form in which they were created, but more often they appear to have been brought together artificially at a later date.
- Brotherhood Week. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Christianity and other religions -- Judaism. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Civil rights and civil liberties Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Clinchy, Everett R. (Everett Ross), 1896-1986
- Intergroup relations Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Judaism -- Relations -- Christianity Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- National Conference of Christians and Jews
- Religious pluralism -- United States. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- National Conference of Christians and Jews records
- Author
- David Klaassen, Linnea Anderson
- Date
- 2008
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Revision Statements
- 8/23/2016: minor edits to notes fields
- 10/2019: added Western Regional files series, 2012 accession
- 4/22/2020: revised notes fields
Collecting Area Details
Contact The Social Welfare History Archives Collecting Area
