Francis S. Harmon papers

Collection

Identifier: Y.USA.20

Staff Only

SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

The largest segment of the collection is comprised of correspondence. Harmon's travels through 61 countries in the 1960s are documented through a series of letters sent to friends and relatives, exhibiting what Harmon calls "my lifelong interest in the World Service program of the YMCA, race relations and the great humanitarian work of the United Nations". Other correspondence in this collection relates to Harmon's time as general secretary of the International Committee, as well as his continued professional connections with the YMCA after his departure.News clippings document Harmon's travels around the United States speaking on the work of the YMCA and observations of his travels abroad.

Dates

1929-1968

Creator

Harmon, Francis Stuart, 1895-1977 (Person)

Language of Materials

English

Use of Materials:

This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright, ownership, and to obtain all the necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials.

BIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS S. HARMON

Francis Harmon was born in Paulding, Mississippi. He served in France in World War I and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1922. He then returned to Mississippi and became editor of a newspaper in Hattiesburg. He served as chairman of the Mississippi State YMCA Committee for five years in the mid-1920s. In 1924 he became a member of the National Council, and in 1929 he was elected its president. In 1932 he succeeded John Mott as general secretary for the International Committee. He resigned in 1936 and moved to Hollywood to work in the motion picture industry, where he remained until 1952. In the early 1960s he was the director of the New York City association and guided it through a merger with the Brooklyn association to form the YMCA of Greater New York. He was on the Board of Deacons and the Board of Trustees of the Riverside Community Church in New York; he was also vice president and a trustee of the Interchurch Center from 1957 until his death.

Extent

.6 Cubic Feet (2 boxes)

Additional Description

Abstract

Collection contains correspondence, news clippings, articles written by and about Harmon, speeches given by Harmon, as well as travel letters written during his extensive world travels.

Processing Information:

Material in this collection was formerly cataloged as part of the YMCA Biographical Files.

Processed by: Chan Harries, October 2004.

Catalog Record ID number: 4490953