Human Rights Commission and Office Records, 1945-2008
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Archdiocese of Saint Louis Archives and Records Human Rights Commission and Office Records, 1945-2008 Descriptive Summary Creator: Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights, and the Human Rights Office Title: Human Rights Commission and Office Records Dates: 1945-2008 Abstract: The Human Rights Commission and Office Records contain correspondence, meeting minutes, planning documents, reports, publications, photographs and audio-visual materials that relate to the Catholic Interracial Council of St. Louis, the Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Office. Extent: 16 linear feet (20 boxes) Language of Materials: English Record Group Number: RG 03 C 05 Access Archives staff will review files before releasing. Some files may be restricted due to personal, legal, medical, financial or personnel information. The Archives reserves the right to restrict materials. Please make an appointment to research at the archives. See our website at http://archstl.org/archives. Historical Note Founded in 1944, the Catholic Interracial Council of St. Louis was the third of its kind in the United States. Formed by clergy and lay people, the Council was under jurisdiction of the Archbishop and affiliated with the Archdiocesan Councils of Catholic Men and Catholic Women. The first spiritual moderator was Rev. Patrick J. Molloy, an activist and leader in integration and racial equality. Council activities were aimed at equality in education, labor, housing, public places, athletics and religion. The Council undertook surveys, attended legislative hearings, met with businesses and associations, and networked with other faith-based groups in St. Louis. It paved the way for the development of the Commission on Human Rights, at which point it dissolved. In August 1963, Archbishop Joseph E. Cardinal Ritter formed the Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights to assert the stance of the Archdiocese within the Civil Rights Movement. Its goals were to enlighten the community, to activate individual and community conscience, and to be the public voice of the Archdiocese on race-related issues. Bishop George Gottwald was named the episcopal moderator, but did not have a staff. At this time, the Commission’s task was legislation-oriented. In May 1964, Cardinal Ritter announced Father Francis Doyle as the Executive Secretary to the Commission. Msgr. Edward J. O’Donnell was appointed Associate Secretary. By the end of the month, twenty new members had been appointed to the Commission. In spring 1965, the Commission was reorganized to include a liaison committee to respond to needs within the Black community. May 1966 saw the formation of the Urban Apostolate under Msgr. Arthur Peet, which functioned as a sub-unit for Commission, engaging Archdiocesan agencies, offices and pastors. In June 1971, new appointments were made to further concentrate authority: Bishop Joseph McNicholas as Episcopal Moderator, Msgr. John Shocklee as Executive Secretary, and Fr. Richard Tillman as Associate Secretary. The Commission worked on researching, building a framework, and fundraising Archdiocese of Saint Louis Archives and Records 20 Archbishop May Drive, St. Louis MO 63119-5738 Phone: 314.792.7020 | Fax: 314.792.7029 | Email: [email protected] for racially-transitioning and predominately Black parishes. During this time, the Commission struggled to determine its role between addressing issues and active programming. In September 1975, Archbishop John J. Cardinal Carberry appointed himself Vicar for City Parishes, and the Commission was split into two components with the Human Rights Office becoming the active service agency for the Black community. Over the next few decades, the Office continually increased its staff and expanded its programming, which included addressing issues of education and advocacy, race and ethnic issues, women’s rights, labor, justice, health care, housing, world peace, and nuclear disarmament. In 1990, Archbishop John. L. May appointed James Herning as Director for the Office with Msgr. Shocklee as General Chairman of the Commission. In 1998, Archbishop Justin Cardinal Rigali appointed Edward Martin as Director, who served until 2001. With Bishop Edward Braxton as Vicar of Social Concerns, the goals of the Human Rights Office were contracted to focus on local diocesan issues and activities rather than broad or global issues. By the early 2000s, there were only a handful of staff in the Human Rights Office. In 2004, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke approved the recommendation of the Task force on Curia Reorganization, to consolidate the Human Rights Office, Disability Ministry, Hispanic Ministry and Laity and Family Life to form Apostolic Services. On January 15, 2009, the Office was officially closed and its programs were absorbed by Catholic Charities, St. Charles Lwanga Center and Hispanic Ministry. In response to unrest in the Ferguson events of 2014, Archbishop Robert J. Carlson established the Peace and Justice Commission in January 2015 with Marie Kenyon as Director. Kenyon directed the Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry since 1987. Scope and Content This collection contains correspondence, meeting minutes, planning documents, reports and publications that originated through the Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights between the years 1945 and 2008. There is little documentation of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The collection is organized into eight series. Series 1: Catholic Interracial Council of St. Louis contains early correspondence, meeting minutes and materials from the organization from 1945 to 1963 which predate the establishment of the Commission on Human Rights in 1963. The materials are arranged reverse chronologically, and relate to efforts to desegregate and educate Catholic and non-Catholic institutions on racial issues. Series 2: Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights contains correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, publications and Monsignor John Schocklee’s Papers from 1963-2003. Correspondence and minutes are arranged reverse chronologically and contain the Commission’s guiding decisions on programs, studies and public statements. The series also contains Msgr. John A. Schocklee’s personal files, which include some correspondence, speeches and photographs. However, the majority of Schocklee’s correspondence will be found within the general files of the Commission and Office as it relates to the Commission. Some of the publications and newsletters of the Commission are oversized and housed separately from the rest of the records. Series 3: Human Rights Office contains correspondence, meeting minutes, reports and finances related specifically to the Office staff, program planning and operations. These are each arranged chronologically with contents in reverse chronological order. Archdiocese of Saint Louis Archives and Records 20 Archbishop May Drive, St. Louis MO 63119-5738 Phone: 314.792.7020 | Fax: 314.792.7029 | Email: [email protected] Series 4: International Ministry contains correspondence, meeting minutes and materials related to programs with a global scope, including issues of nuclear disarmament, poverty and war in Central and South America, and terrorism in Africa. The correspondence and minutes of the World Peace Committee are arranged reverse chronologically and make up the bulk of the series. The series also has correspondence, minutes and program planning with non-Archdiocesan organizations such as the St. Louis Interfaith Committee on Latin America and the Institute for Peace and Justice. Series 5: National Council of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) contains correspondence, planning and implementation of Archdiocesan programs related to the two major pastorals issued by the NCCB in the 1980s. The series includes Archdiocesan clergy’s and laypeople’s responses and critiques to the drafts, collected by the Human Rights Office as feedback sent directly to the NCCB to help address concerns and flesh out the documents before publication. Contents are arranged in reverse chronological order. The folder heading Bishops’ Peace Pastoral refers to the pastoral called The Challenge of Peace: God’s Promise and Our Response (A Pastoral Letter on War and Peace), which was approved and published by the NCCB on May 3, 1983. The heading Bishops’ Economic Pastoral refers to the pastoral called Economic Justice for All: Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy, which was approved and published by the NCCB in November 1986. The NCCB is now called the United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Series 6: Domestic Ministry Committees and Projects contains materials related to Archdiocesan participation and implementation of human rights programs in the St. Louis area including, but not limited, to issues of race and ethnicity, gender, housing, economy, environment, energy, death penalty, child abuse, and labor. Some specific programs include Hispanic Center (Centro Hispanico San Carlos), Women in the Church, Campaign for Human Development, and Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry. Of interest is the Human Rights Office’s participation in housing and development through the Bicentennial Civic Improvement Corporation (BCIC), the Liborius Plaza development and the case involving the Tiffany Neighborhood Housing and Mid Medical Redevelopment Corporation (MMCRC). Files are arranged alphabetically by project or committee title with contents in reverse chronological order. The folder Domestic, Social and Economic Concerns- Various Committees and Organizations is a catch-all for additional