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Guide to the Harry Lees Kingman Papers, 1921-1975
BANC MSS 76/173 c
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Collection Title: Harry Lees Kingman Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1921-1975
Collection Number: BANC MSS 76/173 c
Creator:
Kingman, Harry L. (Harry Lees), 1892-
Extent:
Number of containers: 8 boxes and 5 cartons
Linear feet: 9.55
Repository: The
Bancroft Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Abstract: Correspondence, manuscripts of writings and speeches, subject files, tear sheets and reprints of writings, and clippings,
relating mainly to his long career as executive director of the University of California YMCA (Stiles Hall); work in China
with the International Committee of the American YMCA, 1921-1927; loyalty oath controversy at the University of California;
aid to Japanese-Americans during World War II; work as West Coast Director, FEPC, 1943-1945; formation with Mrs. Kingman of
the Citizens' Lobby for Freedom and Fair Play, 1957; support of John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign, 1960.
Languages Represented:
English
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft
Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which
must also be obtained by the reader.
[Identification of item], Harry Lees Kingman Papers, BANC MSS 76/173 c, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Harry L. Kingman was born in 1892 in Tientsin, China, the son of a Congregational missionary. Several years later his family
settled in Pomona, California, where he attended public schools, and, in 1914, earned an A.B. degree from Pomona College.
In 1916, after playing baseball with the New York Yankees for two seasons, he moved to Berkeley to accept the position of
Freshman Secretary for the University of California YMCA, better known as Stiles Hall. This was the beginning of an almost
continuous association with Stiles which lasted until his retirement in 1957.
During his years at Stiles Hall, Kingman helped create a student co-op association which enabled many students to attend college
during the depression. He maintained the often unpopular free speech policy of allowing minority opinion groups to meet at
Stiles. Another major contribution occurred following Pearl Harbor when he fought for justice for Japanese-Americans and helped
numerous Nisei students to relocate to colleges in the midwest and the east.
Kingman was on leave from Stiles Hall on three occasions. During World War I he served in the army from 1917 to 1919. In 1921
he went to China to work for the International Committee of the American YMCA, returning in 1928. From 1943 to 1945 he was
granted leave to accept an appointment as west coast Director of the U.S. Fair Employment Practices Committee.
Retiring from Stiles Hall in 1957, Kingman and his wife formed the Citizen's Lobby for Freedom and Fair Play. For the next
decade or so, they spent much of each year living in Washington and working as unpaid lobbyists to help secure passage of
legislation in which they were vitally interested relating to civil rights, race relations, low cost housing and world peace.
In 1960 they actively campaigned for the election of John F. Kennedy.
Mr. Kingman gave his papers to The Bancroft Library in 1973 with additions from 1974 to 1976. They consist of correspondence,
writings, speeches, subject files and clippings and relate mainly to his long career with the YMCA in China and at Stiles
Hall, work as west coast director of the F.E.P.C. and formation, with Mrs. Kingman, of the Citizen's Lobby for Freedom and
Fair Play. Photographs have been removed and cataloged separately.
A key to arrangement and partial list of correspondents follows.