George D. Kelsey papers, circa 1940 -- 1969
Collection context
- Creator:
- Kelsey, George D., 1910-1996
- Abstract:
- George Dennis Sale Kelsey (1910-1996) was a theologian and educator at Drew University and previously at Morehouse College, where he became a mentor to Martin Luther King, Jr. The collection contains essays, sermons, and lectures, chiefly in typescript, with some manuscript annotations, and also includes one printed pamphlet.
- Extent:
- 0.25 linear feet (0.25 linear feet; 1 box)
- Language:
- English .
- Scope and content:
-
This collection contains essays, sermons, and lectures by George D. Kelsey, chiefly in typescript, with some manuscript annotations; and also includes one printed pamphlet. Titles include: The peculiar status of Black people in America Christian faith and democracy Capital punishment and social responsibility Christian faith and sexuality Should treatment of the moribund person be terminated? Property in the Christian tradition Religious ideas in the causation of social problems The confusion as to means and ends in social action Poverty and conscience The effect of racial patterns on American church life The authority of the Bible in ethical decision making The meaning of vocation in modern urban culture The philosophy of voluntarism Theological bases for the social concern of the church Meditations, by George D. Kelsey (Cincinnati, Ohio, 1962)
- Biographical / historical:
-
George Dennis Sale Kelsey (1910-1996) was born in Columbus, Georgia in 1910. He received his AB from Morehouse College in 1934, his BD from Andover Newton Theological School in 1937, and his PhD from Yale University in 1946. Kelsey was ordained a Baptist minister in 1938 and subsequently joined the faculty of Morehouse College as Professor of Religion of Philosophy, and then as Director of the School of Religion from 1945-1948. He was also Associate Director in the Field Department of the Federal Council of Churches from 1948 to 1952. Martin Luther King, Jr. took Kelsey's Bible course in his junior year at Morehouse, and Kelsey wrote a letter of recommendation in support of King's attendance at Crozer Theological Seminary. He also lent moral and financial support during the Montgomery bus boycott. Kelsey served as a mentor for King, and they maintained a friendship througghout their lives. Kelsey later served at Drew University as Professor of Christian Ethics from 1951 until his retirement in 1976. George Kelsey died in 1996.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
This collection is open for research.
Onsite storage.
- Terms of access:
-
Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Information concerning copyright, fair use, and reproduction requests can be consulted at Columbia's Copyright Advisory Office.
- Preferred citation:
-
Item description, George D. Kelsey papers, circa 1940-1969, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.
- Location of this collection:
- Before you visit:
- Researchers must book an appointment at least 5 business days in advance to view special collections material in the reading room. To make the most of your visit, be sure to request your desired materials before booking your appointment, as researchers are limited to one item per hour of appointment time.
- Contact:
- burke@library.columbia.edu