Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- East Bay Sanctuary Covenan
- Abstract:
- The collection contains the records of East Bay Sanctuary Covenant (EBSC) from 1982 through 2000. Founded in 1982, the organization was created by local congregations to help refugees to the United States from El Salvador and Guatemala. By 2000, E BSC expanded its mission to provide support for refugees from anywhere in the world and is still active.
- Extent:
- 3.8 linear feet (4 record boxes)
- Language:
- Languages represented in the collection: English Spanish
- Preferred citation:
-
East Bay Sanctuary Covenant collection, GTU 89-11-01. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection documents the founding and activities of the East Bay Sanctuary Movement based in Berkeley, CA. The collection contains office procedures, immigration resources, urgent action notices, news clippings, committee packets and minutes.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The East Bay Sanctuary Covenant (eastbaysanctuary.org)was formed in 1982 on the anniversary of the assassination of Oscar Romero by five founding congregations. Based in Berkeley, CA, EBSC was founded to provide protection, support, and advocacy for Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees. By 1985 membership had grown to 25. Initially, refugees were housed among the covenanting faith communities.
The congregations collectively established an office with a full-time Director, a Refugee Rights Coordinator, Health Services Coordinator, a Direct Services Coordinator, and an Office Manager. EBSC circulated a newsletter, Exodus, as part of an Education and Outreach initiative. The organization focused on Accompaniment, maintaining relationships with sanctuary groups on the U.S.-Mexico border; Refugee Rights, providing legal services for asylum seekers from Central America; and Social Service, recruiting healthcare professionals to provide services for the refugee population, and organizing housing and employment opportunities for the population.
The Sanctuary Movement began during the Vietnam War when churches - some in Berkeley, CA - offered "the availability of shelter and sustenance to military personnel who are conscientiously unable to continue their participation in the armed forces or in combat duties."
A similar, but much larger, movement began in the early 1980's in response to refugees from Central America. Faced with civil war, military aggression and terror, citizens began to travel north to Mexico and then to the United States. U.S. policy did not recognize Central Americans, or El Salvadorans, as qualifying for refugee status. Those who were caught were deported and returned to their countries. Becoming aware of the situation, churches responded to the needs of the refugees by offering sanctuary. The movement lasted in vigor through the end in the 1980s. EBSC then expanded its services to include people from all over the world. As of May 2015, the EBSC handles over 500 Affirmative Asylum cases.
- Acquisition information:
- Donated by Irene Litherland on April 10, 1990, and additional materials at a later date.
- Arrangement:
-
The collection is organized by date as follows: Series 1, Organizational files and services; Series 2, Exodus newsletter; Series 3, Reports by Christian Urgent Action Network for El Salvador (CUANES); Series 4, EBSC Steering Committee packets and Executive Committee minutes.
- Physical location:
- 1/C/2, 1/D/4
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright has not been assigned to The Graduate Theological Union. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Graduate Theological Union 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.
- Preferred citation:
-
East Bay Sanctuary Covenant collection, GTU 89-11-01. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.
- Location of this collection:
-
2400 Ridge RoadBerkeley, CA 94709, US
- Contact:
- (510) 649-2523/2501