mnsss233 Frances Crowe Papers, 1960-2008 (ongoing) Finding Aid Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College
Northampton, MA
© 2005

Smith College. All rights reserved.

 Finding aid exported into EAD from InMagic DB/Textworks 7.01. Encoded by Margaret Jessup and Jennifer Smar. 2006-02-06 Finding aid written in English. Sophia Smith CollectionSmith College Frances Crowe Papers, 1960-2008 (ongoing) Finding Aid MS 249 2005 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

© 2005 Smith College. All rights reserved.

 Collection Overview Crowe, Frances, 1919- Frances Crowe Papers1960-2008 (ongoing) MS 249 61 boxes (74.25 linear ft.) English Sophia Smith Collection
Smith College Northampton, MA
Pacifist; Political activist. Papers document over twenty years of social activism in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, including activities of local chapters of the American Friends' Service Committee, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Women Against the War, War Resisters' League, and Amnesty International. Biographical Note

Born Carthage, Missouri, 1919; graduated Stephens College (Columbia, MO), 1939; Syracuse University in 1941; graduate work, Columbia University and New School for Social Research. Married Thomas Crowe, 1945, and moved to Northampton, MA; three children. Active in the Society of Friends and the American Friends' Service Committee, particularly the Peace and Social Concerns Committee. Became Western Massachusetts Representative for the AFSC in 1980s. During the Vietnam War she worked as a draft counselor. In the 1960s, she founded the Northampton chapter of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; the Sane Nuclear Policy Committee; and the Valley Peace Center in Amherst, MA. Also a founding member of the Traprock Peace Center, Deerfield, MA, and the Committee to End Apartheid, Springfield, MA. A peace activist since the bombing of Hiroshima, Crowe has participated in numerous protests which have led to arrests, trials, and imprisonment.

 Scope and Contents of the Collection

Papers document over twenty years of social activism in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, including activities of local chapters of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Women Against the War, War Resisters' League, and Amnesty International. Extensive records from Crowe's work as the western Massachusetts representative for American Friends' Service Committee (1970s-90s), and numerous subject files on a variety of causes. Writings, memorabilia, and printed material document her trip to China in 1974.

NOTE: The container list for this collection is available in the Sophia Smith Collection. Please contact us to request a copy.

 Information on Use Terms of Access and Use

The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection.

This collection has not been fully processed and therefore may be difficult to use. Researchers must sign an Access Agreement Form, agreeing to protect confidentiality, before using this collection.

Copyright to unpublished materials may be owned by the creator, or their heirs or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use" must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.

 Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

Frances Crowe Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.

 Additions to the Collection

Periodic additions to collection are expected and may not be reflected in this record.

 Search Terms Pacifists--United States--Biography--Sources American Friends Service Committee-Massachusetts--History--Sources Anti-apartheid movements--United States--History--Sources Antinuclear movement--United States--History--Sources Conscientious objectors--United States--History--Sources Crowe, Frances, 1919- Northampton (Mass.)--History--Sources Women and peace--History--20th century--Sources China--Description and travel--Sources Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975--Protest movements--Sources Draft resisters--United States--History--20th century--Sources Environmental protection--Citizen participation-History--20th century--Sources Peace movements--History--20th century--Sources

The records of the American Friends Service Committee of Western Massachusetts are in the Special Collections of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.