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News, events, updates, and tidbits from the Presbyterian Historical Society. Use tags to read related articles or sort by author for similar posts written by PHS staff members and volunteers.

Racial Justice Collection

April 25, 2022

In the Spring of 2020, PHS documented moments of hope amidst the COVID-19 pandemic through our Easter Sermon Collection. Later that year, the country grieved and grappled with its legacy of racial violence in the wake of the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.

As stewards of history, we at PHS have a responsibility to not only document what has happened in the past, but to recognize the history we are living through today. Moved by the nationwide protests that...

Author:

Kristen

Tags:

Presbyterian Heritage

Finding and Providing Sanctuary

April 19, 2022

Newspaper clippings during John Fife's conviction and trial.

Forty years ago, Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona, publicly declared itself a sanctuary for people fleeing war in Central America, defying U.S. immigration authorities, and challenging us all to love our neighbor.

After five hours of discussion at a congregation meeting in January 1982, the vote was called: 79-2 in favor. Southside would declare itself a sanctuary two years after the assassination of...

Author:

David S

Tags:

Presbyterian Heritage, Sanctuary

2021 Annual Report

April 19, 2022

Dear friends,

As we write this in the early Spring of 2022, we live in hope that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is behind us.

Reflecting on last year, we remember that 2021 was indeed shaped by COVID-19—both by the promise of widespread vaccinations and the prevalence of the Delta and Omicron variants that tempered our return to “normal.” At the Presbyterian Historical Society, we leaned heavily on creativity, flexibility, and perseverance to continue our work. As the national archives of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), we...

Author:

Nancy

Tags:

Presbyterian Heritage

A Time to Heal: The Burned Churches Project

September 28, 2021

Between 1990 and 1997, white supremacists burned over 200 Black churches in the United States.

In response to this epidemic of hate-motivated arsons, the National Council of Churches (NCC) created the Burned Churches Project. Led by Rev. Dr. Mac Charles Jones, the General Secretary’s Associate for Racial Justice, the Burned Churches Project provided...

Author:

Kristen

Tags:

African American History, Presbyterian Heritage

Cathedral Village Oral Histories

September 15, 2021

Last year, churches around the country provided hope during the Covid-19 pandemic by creating video sermons that were shared online. PHS documented this response by collecting the recorded Easter sermons of PC(USA) congregations and worshiping communities and preserving them in Pearl Digital Collections.

This year, we’ve created...

Author:

Kristen

Tags:

Covid-19, Presbyterian Heritage

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Blog

Racial Justice Collection

Finding and Providing Sanctuary

2021 Annual Report

A Time to Heal: The Burned Churches Project

Cathedral Village Oral Histories