Contents
- Descriptive Summary
- Biographical / Historical
- Scope and Contents
- Conditions Governing Use
- Indexed Terms
- Inventory
Collection Access
Progressive Community Church records, 1948-2018
Descriptive Summary
- Language
- English
- Repository
- Paul V. Galvin Library. University Archives and Special Collections
- Title
- Progressive Community Church records, 1948-2018
- Creator
- Progressive Community Church (Chicago, Ill.)
- Identifier
- 050.01.01
- Size
- 900 Videos
- Size
- 7650 Photographs
- Size
- 22 Boxes Manuscript files
- Size
- 280 Cassettes
- Predominant Dates
- 1948-2018
- Dates
- 1948-2018
Biographical / Historical
Progressive Community Center: The People's Church was established in 1922 by the late Reverend Joseph Winters at 56 E. 48th St. in Bronzeville, a historical neighborhood in the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois. While most notorious for its designation as the declared church home of the late Mayor Harold Washington (served 1983-1987), PCC has been involved in organizing the surrounding African-American communities and welding political influence in the Greater Chicago area since its founding. The Reverend Dr. B. Herbert Martin, a leader in ecumenical relations and progressive politics both in Chicago and nationally, has led the Progressive Community Church since 1981. Martin went on to serve in the Washington administration as Chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority (1987-1988), and in 1988-1989 was Chairman of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. While acting as Senior Pastor, Martin was invited to President Obama's first inauguration, to a meeting with Desmond Tutu, to international conferences, and is recognized as a leader in Chicago's Interfaith community, and as a representative of the community of African-American Christians from the Near South and South Sides of Chicago.
Scope and Contents
The Progressive Community Center: The People's Church (Chicago, IL) Records includes administrative records, correspondence, church publications, CD-R, VHS, and cassette recordings of sermons, services, and the Voices of Progressive choir, photographs, and substantial biographical materials about Reverend Dr. B. Herbert Martin, Sr. The bulk of the materials are from the pastorate of the Reverend B. Herbert Martin, 1981 to 2016. The collection provides a comprehensive look at the declared church home of the late Mayor Harold Washington and its roles and transformations, with a specific focus on the 1980s, 1990s and the pastoral and political influence of Reverend Dr. Martin.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is currently unavailable for research use while it undergoes processing.
Indexed Terms
- African Americans
- Political participation
- Community churches
- Community organization
- Chicago (Ill.)
- South Side (Chicago, Ill.)
- Bronzeville (Chicago, Ill.)
Inventory
- Title
- Administrative records
- Dates
- 1948-2018
Consists of the church constitution, handbook, board training documents and expectations, (internal) correspondence, meeting notes and minutes, financial documents, reports and plans, individual elder files, and steward and membership directories.Bound and loose printed materials, handwritten notes. Arranged chronologically.
- Title
- Administrative records
- Title
- Administrative records
- Title
- Administrative records
Membership files and directories, administrative files and directories, bound 2013 date book, bound 2018 date book.
- Title
- Administrative records
Correspondence to and from PCC, correspondence to and from Reverend Martin specifically (more correspondence that involves high-profile political figures and organizations located in the Leadership series), undated and commemorative correspondence.
- Title
- Administrative records
- Title
- Leadership
- Dates
- 1948-2018
Includes biographical information about Reverends Joseph Winters and William H. Knighten, as well as the biographical information and collected papers of Reverend Dr. B. Herbert Martin, Sr. and his academic work. It also contains the Harold Washington sub-series, research conducted and historical information compiled by Robert Graham during Martin's time as pastor. Photographs, CD-R, written notes and correspondence, newspaper clippings, loose printed materials. Photographs arranged in rough chronology, dated materials arranged chronologically.
- Title
- Leadership
- Title
- Leadership
Reverend Martin biographical photos, awards, degrees, certificates, Mount Bayou correspondence and memorabilia, newspaper clippings, notable correspondence, preparation for retirement. Notable designated here as correspondence from city, national, and international organizations and political figures addressed to and sent directly from Rev. Martin; includes invitation to accompany the British Ambassador to the United States (2011), a thank you letter from former Senator Barack Obama (2005), and support for the Marriage Fairness Act (2013).
- Title
- Leadership
Photos programmes and other memorabilia related to Harold Washington, ephemera that reflects primarily attendance at Chicago area events (notably Mamie Till's funeral) and events outside of Chicago, such as travels to Switzerland, France, and Istanbul. Many of the programmes are annotated with names of other guests and/or notes for speeches delivered at the events.
- Title
- Leadership
- Title
- Leadership
Reverend Martin's Assorted readings and documents. Scrapbook (undated, no author) located in oversized box.
- Title
- Leadership - Oversized
Includes 1980s unbound scrapbook, SunTimes periodical.
- Title
- Addresses, Announcements, Sermons
- Dates
- 1957-2018
Bound and loose printed materials, loose handwritten materials. Arranged chronologically.
- Title
- Addresses, Announcements, Sermons
Addresses, religious teachings, sermon drafts and completed sermons from Reverends Knighten and Martin. Reverend Knighten's sermons and prayers are handwritten and dated from 1957-1980.
- Title
- Outreach, Ministry, Programming
- Size
- 1 Box
- Predominant Dates
- 1980-2018
Bound and loose printed materials, loose handwritten materials. Arranged chronologically.
- Title
- Outreach, Ministry, Programming
Includes domestic and international missions and ministry documents, plans and correspondence. Also includes religious education program files from the Progressive Bible Institute and Minister in Training programs, as well as sick visit reports.
- Title
- Publications
- Dates
- 1964-2018
- Title
- Publications- Anniversary Booklets
- Title
- Publications- Anniversary Booklets
- Title
- Publications- Programmes and Heralds
Service programmes and "Heralds," a weekly publication later called "Mufundisi." (1964-1988).
- Title
- Publications- Programmes and Heralds
Service programmes and "Heralds," a weekly publication later called "Mufundisi." (1988-1989)
- Title
- Publications- Programmes, Heralds, Other
Service Programmes and Heralds (1964-2017, bulk 1988-1989), ephemera, informational pamphlets, PCC calendars.
- Title
- Publications- Obituaries
- Title
- Publications- Obituaries
- Title
- Publications- Obituaries
- Title
- Photographs
- Dates
- 1957-2016
Photographs from PCC church events, 1980s to 2016. Iinclude but are not limited to documentation (bulk 1960-2010) of significant services, NAACP events, baptisms, and fellowship events. Figures Harold L. Washington, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Debbie Hayes and Louis Farrakhan can potentially be spotted, with the majority of them housed in the folder "Notable Guest Photos" in the Leadership series.
- Title
- Photographs- 1960s-2000s
- Title
- Photographs- Reverend Martin Biographical Photos
- Title
- Photographs- 1957-1981
- Title
- Photographs- Misc. 1980s-2000s
- Title
- Photographs- 1980s-2000s
Photographs include but are not limited to voter turnout rallies, NAACP events, baptismal photos, banquet and other fellowship photos, altar guild photos, fashion show photos.
- Title
- Photographs- Oversized
- Title
- Tape media
- Dates
- 1985-2015
Nearly 800 video cassettes, documenting church services held at PCC from the late 1980s through 2015.
Digital audio and video recordings of Progressive Community Church services, largely in mp3 (audio) and Windows Media (video) formats. The series includes approximately 300 audio files and 1,800 video files.
Use of materials restricted to UASC reading room.