Matthew Walker Clair, Jr. Papers

Zone d'identification

Cote

US NjMdUMCG 569

Nom et localisation du dépôt

General Commission on Archives and History

Niveau de description

Collection

Titre

Matthew Walker Clair, Jr. Papers

Date(s)

  • 1921-1965 (Création/Production)

Importance matérielle

1.98 cubic feet

Nom du producteur

Clair, Matthew Walker
(1890-1968)

Notice biographique

Matthew Walker Clair, Jr. (1890-1968) was a Methodist Church bishop. He received his B.A. from Howard University in 1915, a bachelor of sacred theology from Boston University in 1918, and a doctor of divinity from Gammon Seminary in 1936.

Clair's first appointment was to Bedford, Virginia in 1918, and this was followed by appointments in Martinsburg, West Virginia, in 1919; Roanoke, Virginia, in 1920; Daytona Beach, Florida (1924-1925); and Denver, Colorado (1925-1928). In 1929 he was appointed to the Board of Home Missions. Clair was professor of Practical Theology at Gammon Theological Seminary from 1936 until 1940, when he became pastor at St. Mark Church in Chicago.

During World War I Clair served as a United States Army chaplain. Elected to the episcopacy by the Central Jurisdictional Conference in 1952, he was sent by the Council of Bishops to review and appraise Methodist work in several parts of the world. He visited Africa in 1954, Singapore in 1956, Central and South America in 1958, and Europe in 1961

Clair was a member of several church wide organizations. He also served as president of the Board of Trustees of Philander Smith College. In 1964, after eight years as the bishop in charge of the work of the Central Jurisdiction, Clair retired.

Zone du contenu et de la structure

Portée et contenu

This collection pertains mostly to Clair's service as Bishop of the Central Jurisdiction. Most of the collection consists of correspondence, incoming and outgoing, pertaining to conferences and specific churches within the Central Jurisdiction, reports and minutes. Some of the outgoing correspondence was written by Clair's secretary while the Clairs were traveling in 1961. There also are many copies of correspondence neither to, nor from Clair.

While most of the materials were produced during Clair's his years as bishop, there are a few pieces that date form the 1920's, '30's, and '40's. There is material pertaining to the controversy over the realignment and desegregation of the Central Jurisdiction. The printed matter in the collection includes annual conferences bulletins, books and pamphlets on race issues, and communism in the Methodist Church.

Mode de classement

This collection is arranged by series and subseries.

Zone des conditions d'accès et d'utilisation

Conditions d'accès

One personnel file in the collection is closed until 2035. Otherwise, there are no restrictions regarding this collection.

Accès physique

Accès technique

Conditions de reproduction

Detailed use restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.

Langue des documents

  • anglais

Écriture des documents

    Notes de langue et graphie

    Instruments de recherche

    Éléments d'acquisition et d'évaluation

    Historique de la conservation

    Source immédiate d'acquisition

    Évaluation, élimination et calendrier de conservation

    Accroissements

    Sources complémentaires

    Existence et lieu de conservation des originaux

    Existence et lieu de conservation des copies

    Sources complémentaires

    Descriptions associées

    Élément de notes

    Note générale

    When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Matthew Walker Clair, Jr., Papers, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable descriptor.

    Notes spécialisées

    Identifiant(s) alternatif(s)

    Zone du contrôle de la description

    Règles ou conventions

    Sources utilisées

    Note de l'archiviste

    Prepared by Morris Davis, Manuscript Processor and Mark C. Shenise, Associate Archivist

    Mots-clés

    Mots-clés - Sujets

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    Mots-clés - Genre

    Zone des entrées