Collection

American Friends Service Committee. Community Relations Unit Records

Span Dates: 1975-1998
Bulk Dates:
Volume:

Description

The bulk of LGBT materials are found among other records in the Community Relations Unit records. Other materials are scattered in the files of the Affirmative Action Office and in the records of the head office. These records consist of office files, programs, correspondence, and publications. A 1975 letter to AFSC staff by openly gay and lesbian Friends is the earliest known document concerning LGBT affairs in the AFSC archives.

Hist/Bio Note

The AFSC, founded in 1917, won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 for their efforts for world peace. The AFSC is a distinct service organization, unaffiliated with the various branches of American Friends. Although individual Friends were among the earliest supporters of LGBT justice in the 1960s, the AFSC did not organize a committee specifically addressing LGBT justice until 1981. That committee has persisted under a number of different names within the Community Relations Unit. The first local groups were founded in 1988 in Seattle and Portland, focusing on work with LGBT youth.

Finding Aid

There is no finding aid dedicated to LGBT collections, however, LGBT records can be found using the database in the archives.

Location

These records are located in the archives of the national AFSC headquarters, located in Philadelphia. Information about the archives and contact information can be found on the following website.
https://www.afsc.org/project/archives

Tags

Friends/Quakers | AIDS | Civil Rights Movement | Marriage Equality | Oregon | Seattle | Washington