United Peace Chest of Philadelphia Records

The United Peace Chest was begun as a coordinating and integrating organization for peace groups in the Philadelphia area. Over 125 organizations cooperated in its work. Its principal activity was fundraising through an annual campaign called the Peace Chest Campaign. It also provided a nucleus of support for the Philadelphia Peace Council to serve all peace groups and activities in the Philadelphia area. The main organizations participating in the campaigns and receiving the bulk of its funds were: The National Council for Prevention of War; The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Pennsylvania Branch; The Philadelphia Peace Council; the Fellowship of Reconciliation; and, the Committee on Militarism in Education. The Peace Council and the Committee on Militarism in Education did not continue after their work was given up in the 1940's.

When the United Peace Chest moved from 1924 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, to 2006 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Margaret Doty, a retiring finance secretary, was asked to prepare a quantity of records for deposit in the Peace Collection. This was received in January 1947. After the Peace Chest was disbanded early in 1956, its remaining records were received and processed. Its work was continued in a reduced form by the Pennsylvania Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom under the name of Funds for Peace and Freedom. The Fellowship of Reconciliation and the National Council for Prevention of War withdrew at that time. An additional box of material was received with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom accession of 1966. This was processed and put with the other Untied Peace Chest materials in May 1970.