Guide to the Catholic Interracial Council of Pittsburgh Records, 1960-1977 AIS.1976.09
Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Catholic Interracial Council of Pittsburgh Records
Creator
Catholic Inter-Racial Council (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Collection Number
AIS.1976.09
Extent
2.1 Linear Feet(4 boxes; 1 scrapbook)
Date
1960-1977
Abstract
The Pittsburgh Chapter of the Catholic Interracial Council, a civil rights organization, was founded in 1956. This collection includes history, constitution, by-laws, minutes of meetings and committees, membership lists, news releases, publications, and resource files, 1960-1977.
Language
English
.
Author
Judith Mershon. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in May 2005.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System Archives & Special Collections Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman) Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
History
As a vehicle for the promotion of Christian principles of charity and justice between people of varied races, the Catholic Interracial Council (CIC) was founded in New York City in 1934. Its founder, Fr. John LaFarge, built the organization into a national system known as the National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice (NCCIJ), with a membership of 60 councils by the early sixties. The Pittsburgh chapter was established in 1956, sending representatives to the first national convention at St. Louis in August, 1960.
The oldest information about the Pittsburgh CIC in the collection is a copy of the first newsletter, News and Views, published September, 1960. A 1964 statement of goals indicates that between 1956 and 1964 some of the activities had begun to languish, such as the housing committee, executive committee, and newsletter. This had been a period when most activity was centered within the Catholic community. After 1964, the organization was revamped; the constitution amendment of 1966 opened membership and offices to non Catholics. Although it maintained loose ties with the church, it was not an official organ and on many occasions acted as a critic. The publication of A Report on Certain Geography Textbooks Used in the Schools of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and the walk out of members at the 1969 Labor Day Mass of Cardinal Wright attest to that.
Much of the CIC work was done by letter and use of handbills. In many cases some of its members of their own volition would participate in the picketing and demonstrations of other organizations. The exception to this was the CIC attempts to get local representation on hospital boards. In this connection, they sponsored their own picket of St. Francis and Mercy Hospitals. By the 1970's the NCCIJ had dwindled to six active chapters, but Pittsburgh's was one of them, with a membership of 231. The seventies saw the group active in the boycott of Iron City beer, the A P supermarket, and Union National Bank in the interest of integrated labor. The integration of schools, public and private, became a big issue.
Through the CIC's direct action the Catholic Cemeteries Assoc. was integrated; public attention was drawn to the private segregated clubs; and the Eagles withdrew its white only membership requirement at the national level. As a result of its efforts with other organizations, Iron City Beer Co. signed a new contract allowing for more hiring of non-white employees, as did Union National Bank, A P, and downtown department stores.
Scope and Content Notes
An active organization of the 1960s and 1970s, much of the Pittsburgh Catholic Interracial Council work was done through newsletter and committee. These represent the largest areas of documentation. The Direct Action and Education Committees were most effective. The collection contains many news clippings, statements, and correspondence documenting CIC issues. Supplemented by an almost complete set of minutes of the Board of Directors, incomplete minutes of the Direct Action Committee, and an almost complete set of Equality Newsletter, the reader is able to follow most of the activities through the years 1964-1975. Subjects of particular interest are the founding of Project Equality, the campaign to desegregate private clubs such as Moose, Eagles, and the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, and an effort to get local representation on Catholic hospital boards.
A major portion of the Council's work was carried out by correspondence; as a result, the collection contains letters, some personally signed, of or from many influential persons such as Senator Hugh Scott and Vice President Hubert Humphrey Position Papers of the U.S. Dept. of Defense and U.S. Dept. of State on the Viet Nam War are included.
Within the Catholic Church, the CIC Education Committee spent much time trying to promote integration in the schools. Their study done on certain geography text books used in elementary Catholic schools is thorough. The CIC Speakers Bureau and Forum Committee represents other community outreach efforts. The collection also contains copies of original and amended 1966 constitutions and material on the "Priorities in the Seventies" lecture series of 1971.
Several active members of the CIC were Rev. Donald W. McIllvane, Molly Rush, and Larry Kessler. These people were active in many Civil Rights activities of this period. Larry Kessler was director of the Thomas Merton Peace and Justice Center.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions
Acquisition Information
Gift of the Catholic Interracial Council of Pittsburgh, 1976.
Previous Citation
Catholic Interracial Council of Pittsburgh Records, 1960-1977, AIS.1976.09, Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
Catholic Interracial Council of Pittsburgh Records, 1960-1977, AIS.1976.09, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Judith Mershon in 1980.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Dan Horvath in May 2005. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 1404641
Copyright
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
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