Call Number:

DG.102

Repository:

Swarthmore College Peace Collection

Extent:

5.5 linear ft. (5.5 linear ft.)

Preferred Citation:

Cite as: [Identification of item], in the Another Mother for Peace Records (DG 102), Swarthmore College Peace Collection.

Date:

1964-1978 (inclusive) and 1964-1978 (bulk)

Creator:

Another Mother for Peace (Association), Avedon, Barbara, Jones, Dorothy B., Reed, Donna, 1921-1986, Sobel, Roslyn, Brown, George Edward, 1920-1999, Cranston, Alan, 1914-2000, Halpern, Seymour, 1913-1997, Hartke, Vance, McGovern, George S. (George Stanley), 1922-, Morse, Wayne L. (Wayne Lyman), 1900-1974, Rees, Thomas M., 1925-, Koch, Ed, 1924-, Fulbright, J. William (James William), 1905-1995, Proxmire, William, Blass, Dorothy, and Kreig, Florence Ain

Abstract:

Another Mother for Peace was a women's peace group born from the antipathy to the war in Vietnam, based in Los Angeles, California. The stated purpose of this non-partison, non-profit organization was "to educate women to take an active role in eliminating war as a means of solving disputes between nations, people and ideologies." AMP closed its offices in January 1986.

Another Mother for Peace was a women's peace group born from the antipathy to the war in Vietnam. The stated purpose of this non-partison, non-profit organization was "to educate women to take an active role in eliminating war as a means of solving disputes between nations, people and ideologies." Dedicated to the principle that "war is obsolete", AMP encouraged its members to do peace homework by writing to elected government officials, expressing their desire for peace. The AMP logo, "War is not healthy for children or other living things", created by Lorraine Schneider, was prominent on its educational material and on medallions, peace notes, and greeting cards which were sold to raise money.

Another Mother for Peace began in March 1967 when 15 women in Beverly Hills, frustrated by the escalation of the Vietnam war, printed 1000 Mother's Day cards to send to their Congressmen. Two months later, by the end of May, 200,000 cards had been sold. With its profits, AMP started an Invest In Peace fund to support legislators who voted against war appropriations. Its main campaign throughout its existence was to establish a Department and Secretary of Peace as part of the executive branch whose purpose would be "to examine and evaluate the range of non-military alternatives" to war". In May 1969, the first annual Mother's Day Assembly was held in Los Angeles. At that time, AMP also introduced a Pax Materna, "a permanent, irrevocable condition of amnesty and understanding among mothers of the world". The AMP logo was translated into twenty languages. Film and television celebrities, including Donna Reed, Debbie Reynolds, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, and Dick Van Dyke appeared on national television to promote AMP causes. Three hundred and seventy thousand action newsletters were mailed in 1969. That number increased to 405,000 in 1970 as AMP's campaign against ABM, MIRV, and chemical biological warfare attracted more women to its membership. Former Miss America and Commissioner of Congressional Affairs in New York City Bess Myerson gave a speech, "You Don't Have to Buy War, Mrs. Smith", which was made into a film the following year. Seven thousand five hundred copies of Dr. Frederick L. Schuman's pamphlet "Why a Department of Peace?" were published and distributed. Gold Star mothers added their voices to the AMP drive to stop the war in Vietnam.

By 1971, AMP had a staff of 14. Co-chairmen Dorothy B. Jones and Barbara Avedon testified against the military budget before the Department of Defense Appropriations Sub-Committee. Invest in Peace contributions to Congressmen who voted for an early withdrawal from the war and against ABM and MIRV were continued. AMP urged an investigation of the oil leases off the coast of Vietnam, insinuating that the war was tied to business interests.

Support for Daniel Ellsberg and Tony Russo who released the Pentagon papers was organized. As the war in Vietnam slowed and finally stopped, AMP membership decreased, but this group of women continued to speak out against the escalation of the nuclear arms race, the military budget and nuclear pollution at home. AMP announced its intention to become inactive in January 1979, but continued to send out its newsletter and other peace literature. Its last newsletter was mailed in the spring of 1985. Its offices closed in January 1986.

Another Mother for Peace disbanded in 1986. Since this organization was most active during the Vietnam war years, its records provide a close look at the efforts of a women's group to influence government to stop the war.

The organization's Congressional and Senatorial Responses files (967-1977) form the bulk of these records, containing both correspondence and printed releases in a separate folder for each Senator and Representative. Literature released by AMP (l967-l985) includes its newsletters (1967-1985), annual reports (1969-1978), flyers, mailings, fact sheets, peace datebooks, greeting cards, and pamphlets. Media releases include two films, "You Don't Have to Buy War, Mrs. Smith" and "Another Family for Peace". These and other sound tapes and sound disc recordings as well as photographs of various AMP events are found in the SCPC audio/visual section. There is also correspondence and other material about AMP campaigns, including its efforts to start a Department of Peace and about Mother's Day activities. Correspondence with members, Vietnam servicemen, Vietnam Gold Star and C.O. families and other individuals associated with AMP are also part of the AMP records.

Correspondents include Barbara Avedon, Dorothy Blass, Dorothy B. Jones, Florence Ain Kreig, Donna Reed, Roslyn Sobel, and Congressmen and Senators Alan Cranston, J. William Fulbright, Vance Hartke, Edward I. Koch, George McGovern, Wayne Morse, and William Proxmire.

The records of Another Mother for Peace were received in excellent order. The Congressional and Senatorial Responses files, except for the removal of duplicates and Congressional printed material found elsewhere in McCabe Library, are exactly as received. Series I through V were created to bring similar subject material together.

In Series III, campaigns, projects, and events, are arranged in chronological order. Not all releases are found in Series I. Many are in other parts of the collection with related material. The titles on folders are largely those of the AMP originators.