Henry J. Cadbury letters

Henry Joel Cadbury was born on December 1, 1883 in Philadelphia to Quaker family. He attended Haverford College (A.B. 1903) and Harvard University (M.A. 1904 and Ph.D. 1914). From 1910 to 1919, Cadbury served as the Assistant Professor of Biblical Literature at Haverford College. In the fall of 1918, Cadbury spoke out against anti-German prejudices, charging Americans with creating an “orgy of hate” towards those of German descent and publishing his accusations in the Philadelphia Public Ledger. The release sparked outrage among the American public, prompting an investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office (the case was eventually dropped), and instigating his resignation. In 1919 Cadbury was hired by Harvard University and taught there until 1954, only interrupted by a six-year stint at Bryn Mawr college (1925-1934). During this time, Cadbury served as the chairman of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), received a Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 on their behalf, and was named the prestigious Hollis Professor of Divinity during the final 20 years before his retirement. After Harvard, Cadbury continued to lecture at Haverford College and Temple University, while serving as the chairman to the board of directors at Bryn Mawr College (1956-1968). Henry Cadbury died on October 9, 1974 at his home in Haverford, Pennsylvania.