John McConnell Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection contains correspondence and information about Earth Day, 1970-present; correspondence and information about the Earth Flag, 1970-present; correspondence and information about Earth Society Foundation, 1973-present; correspondence and information about Minute for Peace, 1963-1996; general correspondence, 1950-present; Star of Hope correspondence and information, 1957-1964; information about Sea Citizens, Earth Trustees, and World Equality; biographical information, journals, manuscripts, press releases, reference files; financial and tax records, card files.
Dates
- Creation: 1950-2012
Creator
- McConnell, John, 1915-2012 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use. The original and signed Earth Day Proclamation, dated 1970, can only be loaned or copied following specific guidelines. Contact peacecollection@swarthmore.edu for more information.
Physical Access Note
All or part of this collection is stored off-site. Contact Swarthmore College Peace Collection staff at peacecollection@swarthmore.edu at least two weeks in advance of visit to request boxes.
Conditions Governing Use
None.
Biographical Note
John McConnell was born in 1915, in Davis City, Iowa. He has been an minister, author, editor, advocate for the environment, and businessman. He organized Meals for Millions in 1962 in San Francisco to feed displaced Hong Kong refugees and organized the Minute for Peace radio broadcast in 1964. In 1968 McConnell designed the Earth Flag, depicting the planet as seen from space. McConnell proposed the idea of Earth Day in 1969 to celebrate a peaceful planet. He also proposed Sea Citizens in 1974, and Earth Trustees in 1995.
Extent
34.1 linear ft. (34.1 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
John McConnell was born in 1915, in Davis City, Iowa. He has been an minister, author, editor, advocate for the environment, and businessman. He organized Meals for Millions in 1962 in San Francisco to feed displaced Hong Kong refugees and organized the Minute for Peace radio broadcast in 1964. In 1968 McConnell designed the Earth Flag, depicting the planet as seen from space. McConnell proposed the idea of Earth Day in 1969 to celebrate a peaceful planet. He also proposed Sea Citizens in 1974, and Earth Trustees in 1995. John McConnell died in 2012.
Arrangement
This collection has not been processed and retains most of the original order imposed by the donor. The first, large, accession was sent to the Peace Collection, and includes boxes 1-58; and a card file. Later accessions are listed in order of acquisition. Audio visual items have been removed from the main body of the McConnell collection and stored in the Audio Visual Collection. Memorabilia has been removed and is stored in the Memorabilia Collection.
Custodial History
The Swarthmore College Peace Collection is the official repository for these papers.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of John and Anna McConnell, 2002-2006 [Accessions: 02A-032; 05A-024; 05A-035; and 06A-010]; Anna McConnell, 2012 (Acc. 2012-071); 2014 (Acc. 2014-039); 2015 (Acc. 2015-034); 2016 (Acc. 2016-090).
Separated Materials
Items removed: posters, photographs, seals and stamps.
Legal Status
Copyright to the resources created by John McConnell and Anna McConnell has been transferred to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Copyright to all other materials is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Processing Information
Preliminary processing by Wendy E. Chmielewski and SCPC staff, 2002-2006.
Subject
- McConnell, John, 1915-2012 (Person)
- Earth Society Foundation (Organization)
- Earth Trustees (Organization) (Organization)
- Meals for Millions (Organization) (Organization)
- Sea Citizens (Organization) (Organization)
- Star of Hope (Organization) (Organization)
- World Equality (Organization) (Organization)
Topical
- Conservation of natural resources -- History -- Sources
- Conservation of natural resources -- United States -- History -- Sources
- Earth Day -- History -- Sources
- Environmental policy -- History -- Sources
- Environmental policy -- United States -- History -- Sources
- Environmental protection -- History -- Sources
- Environmental protection -- United States -- History -- Sources
- Environmentalists -- United States -- History -- Sources
- Human ecology -- History -- Sources
Uniform Title
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2018: The file list was standardized in Summer 2017 by Mary Olesnavich in preparation for importing into ArchivesSpace. Tessa Chambers added the notes in Fall 2017.
- 2018: Added boxes 59-61; Acc. 06A-010, boxes 3-5; Acc. 2012-071, boxes 1-2.
- 2018-03-14: This finding aid was updated by Wendy E. Chmielewski, March 14, 2019.
Find It at the Library
Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Swarthmore College Peace Collection Library
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore 19081-1399 USA US
610-328-8557
610-328-8544 (Fax)
peacecollection@swarthmore.edu
