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United Peace Chest of Philadelphia Records

Notifications

Held at: Swarthmore College Peace Collection [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore 19081-1399

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
DG.194
Repository:
Swarthmore College Peace Collection
Extent:
1.92 linear ft. (23 linear in.)
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item], in the United Peace Chest Philadelphia Records (DG 194), Swarthmore College Peace Collection.
Date:
1935-1955 (inclusive)
Creator:
United Peace Chest of Philadelphia, Lester, Muriel, 1883-1968, and Libby, Frederick J. (Frederick Joseph), 1874-1970
Abstract:
The United Peace Chest of Philadelphia coordinated and integrated Philadelphia organizations interested in promoting international peace. The name was often shortened to "United Peace Chest." The UPC was founded in 1938, though it was conceptualized in 1936 at a meeting of the Pennsylvania Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

The United Peace Chest was begun as a coordinating and integrating organization for peace groups in the Philadelphia area. Over 125 organizations cooperated in its work. Its principal activity was fundraising through an annual campaign called the Peace Chest Campaign. It also provided a nucleus of support for the Philadelphia Peace Council to serve all peace groups and activities in the Philadelphia area. The main organizations participating in the campaigns and receiving the bulk of its funds were: The National Council for Prevention of War; The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Pennsylvania Branch; The Philadelphia Peace Council; the Fellowship of Reconciliation; and, the Committee on Militarism in Education. The Peace Council and the Committee on Militarism in Education did not continue after their work was given up in the 1940's.

When the United Peace Chest moved from 1924 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, to 2006 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Margaret Doty, a retiring finance secretary, was asked to prepare a quantity of records for deposit in the Peace Collection. This was received in January 1947. After the Peace Chest was disbanded early in 1956, its remaining records were received and processed. Its work was continued in a reduced form by the Pennsylvania Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom under the name of Funds for Peace and Freedom. The Fellowship of Reconciliation and the National Council for Prevention of War withdrew at that time. An additional box of material was received with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom accession of 1966. This was processed and put with the other Untied Peace Chest materials in May 1970.

This collection is comprised of minutes, reports, treasurer's statements, fundraising material, publicity material, and literature, with correspondence from Fredrick J. Libby and with cooperating organizations, publicity on meetings, and literature, etc. There is also a small amount of material on the work of the Baltimore Peace Chest, 1938-1940.Correspondents include Frederick J. Libby and Muriel Lester.

Gift of United Peace Chest, 1947, 1956.

Checklist revised by Anne Yoder, December 1997; this finding aid was prepared by Chloe Lucchesi- Malone, August 2009.

  1. Emergency Peace Campaign (DG 012)
  2. Fellowship of Reconciliation (DG 013)
  3. National Council for Prevention of War (DG 023)
  4. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (DG 043)

For related materials, search the library's online catalog

Organization
Subject

Publisher
Swarthmore College Peace Collection
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

All or part of this collection is stored off-site. Contact Swarthmore College Peace Collection staff at peacecollection@swarthmore.edu at least two weeks in advance of visit to request boxes.

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Use Restrictions

None.

Collection Inventory

Archival Resource Key. Minutes and reports, 1936-1940.
Box DG 194: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3496]
Archival Resource Key. Treasurer's statements and reports, 1937-1940.
Box DG 194: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3496]
Archival Resource Key. Fundraising material.
Box DG 194: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3496]
Archival Resource Key. Committees, 1938-1947.
Box DG 194: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3496]
Archival Resource Key. Peace schools, 1940-1941.
Box DG 194: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3496]
Archival Resource Key. Youth Committee Against War: Report to Untied Peace Chest, 1941.
Box DG 194: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3496]
Archival Resource Key. Bank statements, 1946.
Box DG 194: 1a [off-site box SCPC-3497]
Archival Resource Key. Checks and voucher copies, 1946 (January-April) - 1947 (April-December).
Box DG 194: 1a [off-site box SCPC-3497]
Archival Resource Key. Monthly Financial Statements and Treasurers' Reports, 1941-1951.
Box DG 194: 1a [off-site box SCPC-3497]
Archival Resource Key. Misc. financial statements, 1946-1948.
Box DG 194: 1a [off-site box SCPC-3497]
Archival Resource Key. Correspondence, 1936-1959.
Box DG 194: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3498]
Archival Resource Key. Correspondence, 1940-1942.
Box DG 194: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3498]
Archival Resource Key. Libby (Frederick J.) correspondence and publicity, 1938-1941.
Box DG 194: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3498]
Archival Resource Key. Schools and colleges correspondence: peace organizations and personnel, 1939-1940.
Box DG 194: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3498]
Archival Resource Key. War Resisters League correspondence, 1937-1940.
Box DG 194: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3498]
Archival Resource Key. Releases, 1938-1950.
Box DG 194: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3498]
Archival Resource Key. Tax exempt status.
Box DG 194: 2a [off-site box SCPC-3499]
Archival Resource Key. Literature and releases.
Box DG 194: 2a [off-site box SCPC-3499]
Archival Resource Key. Clergymen's luncheons and other events.
Box DG 194: 2a [off-site box SCPC-3499]
Archival Resource Key. Campaign correspondence and lists, 1937-1939.
Box DG 194: 2a [off-site box SCPC-3499]
Archival Resource Key. United Peace Chest, Baltimore, Maryland, 1938-1940.
Box DG 194: 2a [off-site box SCPC-3499]
Archival Resource Key. Correspondence with and speaking engagements of Muriel Lester, 1940-1948.
Box DG 194: 2a [off-site box SCPC-3499]
Archival Resource Key. Invitations and programs.
Box DG 194: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3500]
Archival Resource Key. Clergy, Philadelphia: luncheons and miscellaneous, 1937.
Box DG 194: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3500]
Archival Resource Key. Lester, Muriel, 1940-1948.
Box DG 194: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3500]
Archival Resource Key. Publicity, 1937-1947.
Box DG 194: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3500]
Archival Resource Key. Literature, 1938, 1950.
Box DG 194: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3500]
Archival Resource Key. Baltimore Peace Chest, 1938-1940.
Box DG 194: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3500]
Archival Resource Key. Miscellaneous material received after the collection was processed, 2002.
Box DG 194: Re-File Box

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