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Humanist Special Collection

Formed in conversation with the American Humanist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association, the Humanist Special Collection houses archival materials that document the growth and impact of humanism within both Unitarian Universalism and the larger world. The Humanist Special Collection contains personal papers from notable humanists, the records of humanist organizations and congregations, and collections centered around specific themes and events tied to humanism.

By making these documents accessible to students, researchers, and the larger Unitarian Universalist community, the Humanist Special Collection ensures that the full theological and intellectual diversity of Unitarian Universalism will be part of the archival record. The Humanist Special Collection also acts as a hub for humanism, humanists, and other non-theists at Meadville Lombard and as a resource for the ongoing growth and development of humanism.

Using the Humanist Special Collection

With few exceptions, the entirety of the Humanist Special Collection is open to researchers. Archives staff will inform you if there are any donor placed restrictions on access to a particular collection.

To access physical collections, select the Physical Collections tab above.
To access digital collections, see the Digital Collections tab above.

Other Humanist Resources

This guides provides resources for both the introductory and advanced study of humanism, including its history, its people, its ideas, and the communities built around it.

Ask an Archivist

If you have any questions about the Meadville Lombard Archives and Special Collections, just ask!

We can help with...

Scheduling an archive visit
Accessing archival materials
Using our digital archive tools
Answering reference questions
Scanning selections of documents
Donating archival material to Meadville Lombard
Creating archives at your local congregation

Steering Committee

Each Special Collection is guided by a steering committee. The chair of the Humanist Special Collection Steering Committee is John Hooper. To contact him, you can email John Hooper here.