Call Number:

DG.223

Repository:

Swarthmore College Peace Collection

Extent:

24 linear ft. (24 linear ft.)

Language Note:

Materials are in English.

Preferred Citation:

[Identification of item], in the Records of Prisoner Visitation and Support (DG 223), Swarthmore College Peace Collection.

Date:

1952-1991 (bulk)

Creator:

Prisoner Visitation Service (1968-1971), Prisoner Visitation and Support (1971-), Brown, David Wesley, Clausen, Russell, Corson, Eric, Horton, Robert, 1900-1991, Horton, Kay, and Knopp, Fay Honey

Abstract:

Prisoner Visitation Service was founded in April 1968 to serve the increasing numbers of GIs who were resisting the Vietnam War and were being sent to brigs and stockades for their acts of conscience. The founding group included Rev. Robert Horton, a retired Methodist minister with years of prison visitation experience, as well as representatives from the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors, the American Friends Service Committee, the National Interreligious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors, and the War Resisters League. Later at least thirteen additional groups, including eight major denominational organizations, joined in sponsoring PVS's activities. Over the years, PVS staff and volunteers visited or wrote to thousands of men and women in military and civilian stockades and prisons. To reflect a growing outreach to prisoners who were not necessarily military objectors, the name of the organization was changed to Prisoner Visitation and Support in 1971. New emphases included coordination with other prison groups, raising awareness about prisons, training prison visitors, providing contact for prisoners with their families and others, and producing literature about PVS's efforts and interests. A 1974 Statement of Purpose states: "Our program is built on love and respect for the prisoners, affirming their basic humanity, as well as relating to prison administrators and staff in the same spirit. Our conscious orientation is a belief in, and commitment to, the power and centrality of non-violence."

This collection was partially processed by the archivist in 2006. The material came in looking like it was in good order, but it was discovered that the folder titles rarely matched what was in the folders themselves. This necessitated sorting nearly everything into new folders. Some prisoner correspondence was already designated as such before its arrival at the SCPC, but a great deal was also found mixed throughout the rest of the collection. This was removed and put with the rest of the correspondence to/from/about prisoners. It should be noted that these files include prisoners in state and local prisons, though the PVS dealt primarily with people in federal prisons.

The 2006 accessions are almost entirely from the files of Robert (Bob) and Kay Horton. Because the PVS expects to send more of its files to the SCPC, some of which may be incorporated into the current holdings, no final labeling of the folders has been done.

Two 1994 videorecordings were removed to the Audiovisual Collection: "PVS, Reaching Behind Prison Bars" (videorecording 0375 (VHS) and 0618 (DVD), and "Prisoner Visitation and Support Presents: Fay Honey Knopp Speaks About Prison and PVS" (videorecording [DVD] ___).

See also the records of the Center on Conscience and War (DG 025) for its NISBCO files on PVS in box 1080 (25th annivesary, 1988; board meetings, 1976-1986) and box 1081 (varied material, 1970s; correspondence, 1974).

1. General
2. Reports/Literature
3. Efforts/Involvements
4. Trips/Events
5. Finances/Fundraising
6. Correspondence
7. Brown / Corson / Knopp
8. Hortons: Personal Correspondence
9. Prisoner Visitation and Support Correspondence
10. Book re: Conscientious Objectors and Other War Resisters
11. Visitation of Military Prisoners
12. Support Efforts for Prisoners (Organized by Prison)
13. Prison Visitation: General
14. Records of Prison Visits
15. Eric Corson: Correspondence re: Prison Visitor Recruitments, approximately 1979-1986
16. Prison Visitors
17. Prisoner Correspondence
18. Re-File Box: Miscellaneous material received