Matthew Walker Clair, Jr. Papers

Identity elements

referentie code

US NjMdUMCG 569

Name and location of repository

General Commission on Archives and History

Beschrijvingsniveau

Collectie

Titel

Matthew Walker Clair, Jr. Papers

Datum(s)

1921-1965 (Vervaardig)

Omvang

1.98 cubic feet

Naam van de archiefvormer

Clair, Matthew Walker

(1890-1968)

Biografie

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.

Content and structure elements

Bereik en inhoud

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.

Ordeningstelsel

This collection is arranged by series and subseries.

Conditions of access and use elements

Voorwaarden voor raadpleging

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

Physical access

Technical access

Voorwaarden voor reproductie

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.

Languages of the material

Engels

Scripts of the material

Taal en schrift aantekeningen

Toegangen

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Geschiedenis beheer

Directe bron van verwerving

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Aanvullingen

Related materials elements

Bestaan en verblifplaats van originelen

Bestaan en verblijfplaats van kopieën

Related archival materials

Related descriptions

Notes element

Algemene aantekening

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.

Specialized notes

Alternative identifier(s)

Description control element

Regels of conventies

Sources used

Aantekeningen van de archivaris

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