Quaker Theology

2. Quaker Race Relations & Racial Justice

  • “Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship, Quakers, African Americans, and the Myth of Racial Justice”* A Review

    This detailed review examines the book *Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship*, highlighting the complex and often contradictory history of Quakers in relation to African Americans and racial justice. It acknowledges the Society of Friends’ notable yet imperfect record on abolition and civil rights, critiques common myths about Quaker racial progress, and calls for further…

  • “A History of Southland College: The Society of Friends and Black Education in Arkansas,”* A Review

    This review discusses Thomas C. Kennedy’s detailed historical account of Southland College, a Quaker institution dedicated to African-American education in Arkansas from 1864 to 1925. It explores the challenges of racial violence, financial struggles, evangelical Quaker efforts, and the eventual decline of the school amid shifts in Quaker racial attitudes and leadership conflicts. Kennedy’s work…

  • The Ku Klux Klan by Daisy Douglas Barr

    This article presents a poem by Daisy Douglas Barr, a Quaker preacher and leader in the women’s Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Indiana. The poem vividly describes the Klan as a force of justice and protector of social order, reflecting Barr’s controversial involvement in promoting its ideology.

  • “Mim and the Klan: A Hoosier Quaker Farm Family’s Story,”* a Review

    This review discusses Cynthia Stanley Russell’s novel *Mim and the Klan*, which exposes the largely unacknowledged history of Quaker involvement in the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana during the 1920s. The story highlights the tension between Quaker values and the racist, nativist ideology of the Klan, raising urgent theological and historical questions for the Quaker…

  • “Quaker Brotherhood: Interracial Activism and the American Friends Service Committee, 1917-1950″*

    This article reviews Allan W. Austin’s book on the American Friends Service Committee’s interracial activism from 1917 to 1950, highlighting both the Committee’s efforts and struggles with race relations during that period. It discusses the historical context, challenges in funding and administration, and the broader implications for Quaker engagement and declining influence in social justice…

  • “From Personality & Place”* An Excerpt

    The article explores the intertwined themes of personalism and place in Quaker history, particularly at Pendle Hill, emphasizing community, spirituality, and social justice. It highlights significant figures like Teresina Rowell and Wilmer and Mildred Young, who embodied Quaker ideals through intentional community living, racial justice, and nonviolence amid capitalist challenges. The piece also situates Pendle…

  • Selected Correspondence-SAYMA

    This article presents a collection of correspondence and minutes from Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and Association (SAYMA) discussing intense disputes over racism, funding, and leadership within the yearly meeting, especially focusing on the Uplifting Racial Justice (URJ) committee. The communications reveal conflicts concerning financial accountability, accusations of racism, and differing approaches to anti-racism work, highlighting…