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Kingman (Harry L.) Papers
BANC MSS 76/173 c
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
The Bancroft Library
Title: Harry Lees Kingman Papers,
creator:
Kingman, Harry L. (Harry Lees), 1892-
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 76/173 c
Physical Description:
9.45 linear feet
8 boxes and 5 cartons
Date (inclusive): 1921-1975
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.
Language of Material: 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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Kingman, Harry L. (Harry Lees), 1892-