bMS 671
Bragg, Raymond. Papers, 1920-1979.
Summary Information
- Call Number: bMS 00671
- Title: Raymond Bragg Papers, 1920-1979
- Repository: Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-1911
- Quantity: 2 boxes
Administrative Information:
- Hollis number: 8983940
- Preferred Citation: Raymond Bragg Papers, 1920-1979, bMS 00671, Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Harvard Divinity School.
- Acquisition Information: Papers donated by Kate B. Benz in 1981.
- Processing Information: Processed by Jonathan Hauze and Fran O'Donnell, 2002
- Access: There are no restrictions on access to this collection.
Biographical Information:
Raymond Bragg (1902-1979) was born in Massachusetts and attended Bates College and Brown University. In 1927, he earned a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Chicago and a B.D. from Meadville Theological School and was ordained at the Unitarian Church of All Souls in Evanston, Illinois where he was pastor until 1930. From 1930-1935 he served as the Secretary of the Western Unitarian Conference. During these years he was also the editor of The New Humanist, and was one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto, which helped give rise to a new humanist movement within Unitarianism. He served as pastor of the First Unitarian Society in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1935-1947. He was the Executive Director of the Unitarian Service Committee from 1947-1952, and then became the pastor of All Souls Unitarian Church, Kansas City, Missouri, where he remained until his retirement in 1973. During this time, he chaired the Kansas City's Civil Liberties Union, worked on the local and state levels to improve mental health services, and was an assistant professor of philosophy at the Kansas City Art Institute. Upon his retirement, he was elected Minister Emeritus by the Kansas City congregation.
Scope and Content:
Collection consists primarily of correspondence relating to Bragg's pastoral and administrative work in the American Unitarian Association. These folders are arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Included in the correspondence is one subject file, a folder containing materials about a Unitarian Universalist Association resolution regarding the work of the United Nations. The collection also includes miscellaneous biographical materials: ordination certificates, notices of church appointments, etc. Among these biographical materials is one photograph of Bragg in a classroom setting, published by the Kansas City Art Institute.
See related correspondence and administrative records in the Unitarian Service Committee files: bMS 16024, bMS 16036, bMS 16027, bMS 16135, bMS 16011, bMS 16034, bMS 16020, and bMS 16103.
Container List:
(Note: the collection number is bMS 671, the number after the slash is the box number, and the number in parentheses is the folder number.)
- bMS 671/1 (1) Information on gift, 1981
- bMS 671/1 (2) Biographical file (includes photograph of Rev. Bragg at Kansas City Art Institute), 1927-1979
- bMS 671/1 (3) High school of commerce yearbook, 1920
- bMS 671/1 (4) Family correspondence, 1962
- bMS 671/1 (5) Writings (consists of one sermon, 1959, and Buehrer memorial)
- bMS 671/1 (6) Correspondence A, 1959-1973
- bMS 671/1 (7) Correspondence B, 1970-1975
- bMS 671/1 (8) Correspondence C, 1959-1977
- bMS 671/1 (9) Correspondence D, 1969-1976
- bMS 671/1 (10) Correspondence E - F, 1971-1977
- bMS 671/1 (11) Correspondence G, 1956-1977
- bMS 671/1 (12-15) Correspondence H, 1956-1974
- bMS 671/2 (1) Correspondence I - K, 1957-1972
- bMS 671/2 (2) Correspondence L, 1957-1973
- bMS 671/2 (3) Correspondence M - N, 1958-1973
- bMS 671/2 (4) Correspondence O - R, 1957-1960
- bMS 671/2 (5) Correspondence S, 1963-1977
- bMS 671/2 (6) Correspondence T - U - V, 1956-1967
- bMS 671/2 (7) Correspondence U.U.A. - United Nations Resolution, 1971-1974
- bMS 671/2 (8-10) Correspondence W, 1955-1977