Guide to the John Birch Society pamphlets , 1928-1990

(bulk 1960-1970)


John Hay Library , University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Manuscripts: email: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2014

Collection Overview

Title: John Birch Society pamphlets
Date range: 1928-1990, (bulk 1960-1970)
Creator: John Birch Society.
Extent: 0.5 linear feet
Abstract: The John Birch Society pamphlets consist primarily of pamphlets and reprints of magazine articles that reflect right-wing political views on such issues as the Civil Rights movement, the protests against the war in Vietnam during the 1960's, communism, drug use, popular music and culture, pornography, race relations, and sex education in American schools. Most were published or reprinted by the John Birch Society. The pamphlets are dated from 1928 to 1990, but most are dated between 1960 and 1970.
Language of materials: English
Repository: John Hay Library , University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number: MS.2014.001

Scope & content

The John Birch Society pamphlets consist primarily of pamphlets and reprints that reflect right-wing political views on such issues as the Civil Rights movement, the protests against the war in Vietnam during the 1960's, communism, drug use, popular music and culture, pornography, race relations, and sex education in American schools. The pamphlets are dated from 1928 to 1990, but most are dated between 1960 and 1970.

The pamphlets published by the John Birch Society include copies of the Society's Bulletin as well as reprints from American Opinion and The Review of the News . Many pamphlets were published by the Society's Movement to Restore Decency (MOTOCREDE). The collection also includes a "Support Your Local Police" decal and a packing slip from Robert Welch, Inc.

The pamphlet titled "A Letter to the South on Segregation" was written by Robert Welch, even though his name does not apper on the pamphlet in this collection. This pamphlet, dated 1965, is a reprint (thirteenth printing) of Welch's original September 1956 article in One Man's Opinion .

Other pamphlets in the collection were published by the American Jewish Committee, Athanasius Press, the Daughters of Saint Paul, and Ensign Publishing Company. The two pamphlets published by Pathfinder Press and the Workers Library Publishers reflect left-wing views regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict and the civil rights of African-Americans in the United States.

This collection is related to, but is not part of, the John Birch Society records (Ms.2013.003) and the Gordon Hall and Grace Hoag Collection of Dissenting and Extremist Printed Propaganda (Ms.76).

Access Points

Subject Names Subject Organizations Subject Topics Document Types Subject Topics

Arrangement

The John Birch Society pamphlets have been organized alphabetically by the name of the publisher and then by title.

Historical note

The John Birch Society was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, on December 9, 1958. Robert Welch, Jr. (1899–1985), a retired candy manufacturer, led the organization from its founding until his retirement in 1983. The Society's purpose was to combat communism and promote various ultraconservative causes. It was named in honor of John Birch, an American Baptist missionary and United States Army intelligence officer who was killed by Chinese communists on August 25, 1945, making him, in the Society’s view, the first casualty of the Cold War. Although it does not release membership numbers, the Society was estimated to have between 60,000 and 100,000 members at the height of its activities during the 1960's. By 1985 the membership was estimated to be about 50,000.

The Society published the periodicals American Opinion and The Review of the News as well as pamphlets from the Society's Movement to Restore Decency (MOTOCREDE). Most of the pamphlets in this collection are reprints from Society publications and reflect right-wing political views on issues such as communism, popular culture and sex education in American schools. Other pamphlets were published by the American Jewish Committee, one of the oldest Jewish advocacy organizations in the United States; the Daughters of Saint Paul, a Catholic publishing house in Boston, Massachusetts; Ensign Publishing Company in Salt Lake City, Utah, whose publications include works on religion and anti-communism; Pathfinder Press, publishers of works on Marxist theory and socialist political analysis; and the Workers Library Publishers, which published pamphlets for the Workers Party of America. The Workers Party of America was the name of the legal party organization used by the Communist Party USA from the last days of 1921 until the middle of 1929. Athanasius Press, not to be confused with the religious affiliated press of the same name in Monroe, Louisiana, was created by John H. deTar, M.D., in order to published his right-wing political writings.

Access & Use

Access to the collection: There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials: Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation: John Birch Society pamphlets, Ms.2014.001, Brown University Library.
Contact information: John Hay Library , University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Manuscripts: email: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION  
Acquisition: The John Birch Society pamphlets, with one exception, were given to the Brown University Library by an anonymous donor in December 2004. The pamphlet published by the American Jewish Committee regarding Skinheads was donated at the same time by Howard Stone, a Brown University librarian.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID  
Author: Finding aid prepared by Mary A. Harrison.
Encoding: This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2014-02-11
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material: Related archival materials include: The Gordon Hall and Grace Hoag Collection of Dissenting and Extremist Printed Propaganda (Ms.76) and the John Birch Society records (Ms.2013.003).

Inventory

Box 1, Folder 1 The American Jewish Committee: Skinheads, who they are and what to do when they come to town, by Kenneth S. Stern
1990
Box 1, Folder 2 Athanasius Press: Synanon, strategic sanctuaries for the destruction of free will, by John H. deTar, M.D.
circa 1965
Box 1, Folder 3 Congressional Record: Beliefs and principles of the John Birch Society, by the Honorable John H. Rousselot
1962
Box 1, Folder 4 Daughters of Saint Paul: An appeal to all Americans to join the battle against communism, by His Eminence Richard Cardinal Cushing
undated
Box 1, Folder 5 Daughters of Saint Paul: The church and communism, by His Eminence Richard Cardinal Cushing
1962
Box 1, Folder 6 Ensign Publishing Company: The communist attack on the John Birch Society, by W. Cleon Skousen
1963
Box 1, Folder 7 John Birch Society: Analysis, omnibus police control, by Paul William Dean
1968
Box 1, Folder 8 John Birch Society: Book list, American Opinion bookstores
undated
Box 1, Folder 9 John Birch Society: Bulletin
 1969 Jul
Box 1, Folder 10 John Birch Society: Bulletin
 1969 Aug
Box 1, Folder 11 John Birch Society: Color, communism and common sense, by Manning Johnson
1963
Box 1, Folder 12 John Birch Society: Detroit, communists assassinate police, by Gary Allen
1969
Box 1, Folder 13 John Birch Society: The drug craze, by Hardin B. Jones, Ph.D.
undated
Box 1, Folder 14 John Birch Society: Drugs and youth, the de-generation gap, by Dave Avery
undated
Box 1, Folder 15 John Birch Society: Facts about marijuana and LSD, questions and answers, by Thomas Reddin
undated
Box 1, Folder 16 John Birch Society: The fall, from decency to degradation, by George S. Schuyler
1969
Box 1, Folder 17 John Birch Society: Hate therapy, sensitivity training for "planned change", by Gary Allen
1968
Box 1, Folder 18 John Birch Society: A letter to Landers, by Wallis W. Wood
undated
Box 1, Folder 19 John Birch Society: A letter to the South on segregation, by Robert Welch
Contents Note: This pamphlet, dated 1965, is a reprint (thirteenth printing) of Welch's original September 1956 article in One Man's Opinion

 1965
Box 1, Folder 20 John Birch Society: Lyrics, artists, recording companies and other information for the analysis of rock and the big beat
undated
Box 1, Folder 21 John Birch Society: A memorandum on Supreme Court decisions, by G. Edward Griffin
1968
Box 1, Folder 22 John Birch Society: The Movement to Restore Decency
1969
Box 1, Folder 23 John Birch Society: Narcotics, the communist drug offensive, by Susan L.M. Huck
1969
Box 1, Folder 24 John Birch Society: Negroes, what "liberal" racists never mention, by Gary Allen
1968
Box 1, Folder 25 John Birch Society: Packing slip for publications sold by Robert Welch, Inc.
1970
Box 1, Folder 26 John Birch Society: Peace symbols, the truth about those strange designs, by David E. Gumaer
undated
Box 1, Folder 27 John Birch Society: The pied pipers, pot, rock and revolution
1969
Box 1, Folder 28 John Birch Society: Policemen
 undated
Box 1, Folder 29 John Birch Society: Pornography, mindless with gazing, by Medford Evans
1969
Box 1, Folder 30 John Birch Society: Report! A priest on sex education, by Reverend Francis E. Fenton
circa 1965
Box 1, Folder 31 John Birch Society: Report! Federalizing the police, by John F. McManus
undated
Box 1, Folder 32 John Birch Society: Report! Sex training (article from the Darien Review in Darien, Connecticut)
1969
Box 1, Folder 33 John Birch Society: Rock culture glossary, by Ken Granger and Joseph R. Crow
undated
Box 1, Folder 34 John Birch Society: Sex and love, what to tell your children, by E. Merrill Root
undated
Box 1, Folder 35 John Birch Society: Sex education in the schools? Some thoughts from eminent doctors and from MOTOCREDE (The Movement to Restore Decency)
undated
Box 1, Folder 36 John Birch Society: Sex education problems, by Gary Allen
1969
Box 1, Folder 37 John Birch Society: Support Your Local Police decal
undated
Box 1, Folder 38 John Birch Society: Terrorism, by Gary Allen
 1968
Box 1, Folder 39 John Birch Society: That music, there's more to it than meets the eye, by Gary Allen
1969
Box 1, Folder 40 John Birch Society: To the Negroes of America, by Robert Welch
1967
Box 1, Folder 41 John Birch Society: Two revolutions at once, by Robert Welch, and The King and his communists, by Alan Stang
1965
Box 1, Folder 42 John Birch Society: The war on art, by Alan Stang
 1969
Box 1, Folder 43 John Birch Society: The war on police, by Alan Stang
1968
Box 1, Folder 44 John Birch Society: War on poverty, billions to finance revolution, by Gary Allen
1968
Box 1, Folder 45 John Birch Society: What is the John Birch Society?, by Robert Welch
undated
Box 1, Folder 46 John Birch Society: Why join the John Birch Society?, by Robert Welch
1968
Box 1, Folder 47 John Birch Society: Wild statements, by Robert Welch
1965
Box 1, Folder 48 Pathfinder Press: Burning issues of the Mideast crisis, by Peter Buch
1971
Box 1, Folder 49 Workers Library Publishers: American Negro problems, by John Pepper
1928