Summary Information:
- Call Number: bMS 130
- Title: Dana McLean Greeley Papers, 1925-1986.
- Repository: Harvard Divinity School Library, Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-1911
- Quantity: 253 boxes
Administrative Information:
- Acquisition Information: Papers and records donated by the Greeley family in 1974, 1986, and later dates.
- Access: There are no restrictions on access to this collection.
Biographical Information:
Unitarian Universalist minister. Educated at Harvard: SB 1931, STB 1933. Served churches in Lincoln, Massachusetts, and Concord, New Hampshire (1932-1935); minister at Arlington Street Church, Boston (1935-1958). Secretary, American Unitarian Association (AUA) (1945-1953); president, Unitarian Service Committee (1953-1958); president, American Unitarian Association (1958-1961). First president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (1961-1969). Minister, First Parish in Concord, Massachusetts, 1970-1986. For an in-depth account of his life, see "Dana McLean Greeley" in the Dictionary of Unitarian & Universalist Biography.
Scope and Content:
The collection is organized into three sections:
- Private Papers, 1931-1986
- AUA and UUA Presidential Papers, 1958-1969
- The World Conference on Religion and Peace
Note: For additional Greeley papers and photographs, see Rev. Greeley's minister file in bMS 1446; the Arlington Street Church records, bMS 593; and Records of the President, Unitarian Universalist Association, 1958-1969, bMS 1014.
Container List:
Section I: Private Papers
(In addition to the material listed here, boxes 253-254 contain index cards that catalog sermons, events, places Greeley traveled to, and events at churches where he served.)
Section I A: Sermons, Lectures, and Talks, 1931-1986
- Dated sermons, lectures and talks, 1931-1952, boxes 1-20
- Dated sermons, lectures, and talks, 1953-1974, boxes 20-49
- Dated sermons, lectures, and talks, 1975-1986, boxes 49-64
- Ordinations and installations, boxes 67-70
- Memorials, funerals, weddings, and christenings (sermons), boxes 71-80
Section I B: Writings and Audiotapes
- Manuscripts, articles, and other writings. Includes Harvard Divinity School notes (no date range given), drafts of published books, including 25 Beacon Street, and various articles, boxes 81-83
- Journals, diaries, and appointment books, boxes 84-94
- Audiotapes, box 95
Section I C: Biographical and Family Material
- Biography.
1908-1985 and undated, arranged chronologically. Includes correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, and other materials related to Dana Greeley and other members of the Greeley family. Includes ordination materials and correspondence, as well as a scrapbook by Dana McLean Greeley, "The History of My Boyhood." Includes death and memorial materials, and materials regarding the Greeley Foundation for Peace and Justice. Boxes 95-96 - Awards, Citations, and Honorary Degrees.
1958-1985, arranged chronologically, boxes 96-98 - Newspaper and Magazine Articles.
1931-1980 and undated, arranged chronologically, box 98 - Family Correspondence and Materials.
No date range given for most materials, boxes 101-104
Section I D: Topics
This section includes correspondence, reports, minutes, and other materials related to miscellaneous topics before 1958 and after 1969. For topics 1958-1969, see Presidential Papers. Additional materials relating to topics in this section may also be found in the General Correspondence section, listed by the name of the correspondent.
- American Unitarian Association Pre-Presidency, box 105
1931-1950, Notation: See also General Correspondence—Louis Cornish and Frederick May Eliot - Unitarian Service Committee Pre-Presidency, boxes 106-107
No date range given. Includes correspondence from Robert West, Eugene Pickett, William Schulz, and 150th Anniversary of the AUA. - Miscellaneous Correspondence, box 107
Arranged alphabetically, no date range given - Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, boxes 107-108
Primarily fundraising materials, (no date range) - Arlington Street Church, boxes 108-109
Arranged alphabetically.
Includes correspondence, reports and other materials, 1935-58. boxes 108-109. (Also see the Arlington Street Archives, Collection bMS 449) - Concord—First Parish, boxes 109-114
Includes correspondence and other materials, 1970-1986. (See also General Correspondence for correspondence with Parish members and committee members). Includes Emerson Committee files and Thoreau Society and Lyceum files, as well as other materials. - Harvard, boxes 114-115
Includes Reunion Materials (25th, 50th, and 55th) - International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), boxes 115-119
Arranged alphabetically. - Young People's Religious Union (YPRU), box 120
Includes correspondence and miscellaneous materials. - Miscellaneous Topics, boxes 120-122
Topics include: busing, capital punishment, Channing, gambling, Meadville Theological School, and a significant folder, entitled "Peace Issues, 1970-1984."
Section I E. General Correspondence.
Section II: Presidential Papers, 1958-1969
Note: further Presidential papers may be found in bMS 1014.
Section II A. Special Topics
- AUA-UUA Presidency, boxes 156-167:
Campaign and Election, 1958
Campaign and Election, 1961
General Correspondence
Campaign and Election, 1965
Miscellaneous Presidential Materials
Correspondence Regarding President's Engagements - Consolidation and Merger, boxes 167-170:
Commissions—Free Church in a Changing World - AUA-UUA Board of Trustees, boxes 171-182:
General Correspondence
Correspondence with Board Members
Miscellaneous Correspondence
Topics
Board Meetings
Commissions including Commission on Religion and Race Committees
Section II B. Administration and Affiliated Agencies
- Administration, boxes 183-191:
General Administration
Staff Meetings
Departments
Fund Raising Materials and Correspondence
Department of Education
Department of Extension and Church Maintenance
Department of Finance and Treasury, Business Management and Finance
Department of the Ministry
Department of Overseas and Interfaith Relations
Department of Publications
Department of Social Responsibility - Affiliated Agencies, boxes 192-196:
Albert Schweitzer College
Church of the Larger Fellowship
Council of Liberal Churches
Clarence Darrow Community Center
Liberal Religious Education Director's Association
Liberal Religious Youth
North End Union
Joseph Priestly House
Religious Arts Guild
Rowe Camp
Star Island/ Institute on Religion in an Age of Science
Student Religious Liberals
Unitarian Development Fund
UU Corporation for Scholarships
Unitarian Fellowship for Social Justice
UU Fellowship for Social Justice
Unitarian Historical Society
Universalist Historical Society
UU Laymen's League
UU Minister's Association
UU Service Committee
UU Women's Federation
Section II C. General Assemblies; Theological Schools; Churches and Fellowships
- General Assemblies, 1959-1969, boxes 196-200
- Theological Schools, boxes 200-203
Committees
Crane Theological School
Harvard Divinity School
Meadville Theological School
St. Lawrence
Starr King - Churches and Fellowships, boxes 204-207
Arranged by location
Section II D. Correspondence with AUA-UUA Clergy
- boxes 207-217:
Open Letters, by date
Correspondence with Individual Ministers
Section II E. Intermediate Organizations: Districts, Conferences, and Regions
- boxes 217-219:
Correspondence with Individual Organizations
Correspondence and Materials Regarding Districts and Regions in General
Section II F. Social Action and Miscellaneous Topics
- boxes 219-223:
UUA Investment Policy—Robert Hohler Protest
Public Policy Issues
Race Relations and Civil Rights
United Nations
Vietnam - Miscellaneous Topics, boxes 222-223
Section II G: General Correspondence and Clippings
- boxes 223-234
Section III: World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP)
This section includes correspondence, reports, memos, minutes, lists, agendas, and other materials regarding the WCRP from 1969 to 1985. The official WCRP Archives are in the Swarthmore College Peace Collection, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, along with the private papers of Homer Jack, Secretary General of the WCRP from its inception until 1984.
- Greeley Speeches and Materials - General, box 235
- WCRP Conferences, boxes 235-252
WCRP I-IV
Asian Conference on Religion and Peace I, II
All-Africa Assembly
Miscellaneous Materials
Undated Materials
General Correspondence
Other Materials
Fund Raising Materials
Religious Leaders Conference
Photographs
Boxes 253-254 contain index cards that catalog sermons, events, places Greeley traveled to, and events at churches he served at.