Quakers: That of God in Everyone (2015) - full transcript

[MUSIC]

GEORGE: WE UTTERLY DENY
ALL OUTWARD WARS AND STRIFE,

AND FIGHTING WITH
OUTWARD WEAPONS,

FOR ANY END, OR UNDER ANY
PRETENSE WHATSOEVER;

THIS IS OUR TESTIMONY
TO THE WORLD...

NARRATOR: THIS IS THE
"PEACE TESTIMONY,"

FIRST PROCLAIMED IN 1660
TO KING CHARLES II OF ENGLAND

BY A GROUP OF RELIGIOUS SEEKERS
LED BY GEORGE FOX

AND CALLING THEMSELVES
THE "CHILDREN OF LIGHT",

OR "PUBLISHERS OF TRUTH."

TO THEIR CRITICS
THEY WERE KNOWN AS "QUAKERS,"



A DERISIVE NICKNAME THAT THEY
UNABASHEDLY ACKNOWLEDGED

AS THEY WERE KNOWN FOR
TREMBLING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
IN THEIR WORSHIP MEETINGS.

ULTIMATELY, THEY WOULD
OFFICIALLY NAME THEMSELVES

"THE RELIGIOUS
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS."

THEIR VISIONARY LEADER,
GEORGE FOX, WROTE IN 1683:

GEORGE:
GOD, WHO MADE ALL,

POURS OUT HIS SPIRIT UPON
ALL MEN AND WOMEN IN THE WORLD,

IN THE DAYS
OF HIS NEW COVENANT,

YEA, UPON WHITES AND BLACKS,
MOORS, AND TURKS, AND INDIANS,

CHRISTIANS, JEWS, AND GENTILES,
THAT ALL WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD,

MIGHT KNOW GOD
AND THE THINGS OF GOD,

AND SERVE AND WORSHIP,
IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.

GEORGE: BE PATTERNS,
BE EXAMPLES IN ALL COUNTRIES,



PLACES, ISLANDS, NATIONS,
WHEREVER YOU COME,

THAT YOUR CARRIAGE

AND LIFE MAY PREACH
AMONG ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE,

AND TO THEM;

THEN YOU WILL COME TO WALK
CHEERFULLY OVER THE WORLD,

ANSWERING THAT
OF GOD IN EVERY ONE.

PAUL: THAT OF GOD IN EVERYONE
AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY USED,

REALLY REFERRED TO
PEOPLE BEING MADE

IN THE IMAGE AND
LIKENESS OF GOD.

WE ALL SHARE THE SAME FATHER
WITH THE SAME PARENTS.

WE'RE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD,

WE'RE ALL CHILDREN
OF THE SAME GOD.

WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S
WHAT WE NEED TO BE RESPONDING TO

IN OTHER PEOPLE,
IS THAT COMMON HUMANITY

THAT WE HAVE,
THE INWARD LIGHT OF CHRIST.

AND JUST AS THE LIGHT
FROM THE SUN

ALLOWS US TO SEE WITH OUR
EYES, OUR OUTWARD EYES,

WE HAVE INWARD EYES

AND WHEN WE ARE ILLUMINATED
BY THAT INWARD LIGHT OF GOD

WE CAN SEE OUR
SPIRITUAL CONDITION

AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
IS GOD'S CALLING ON US TO DO.

NARRATOR: AS THE MOVEMENT GREW
IN NUMBER AND MOMENTUM,

THAT INNER LIGHT LED QUAKERS
TO PIVOTAL ROLES

IN MANY OF THE MOST
TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENTS

OF THE LAST FOUR CENTURIES.

QUAKERS SUCH AS WILLIAM PENN,
SUSAN B. ANTHONY, LUCRETIA MOTT,

JOHN WOOLMAN AND
GEORGE CADBURY

HAVE ACHIEVED A DEGREE
OF FAME,

BUT LESS IS KNOWN ABOUT
THOUSANDS OF OTHER FRIENDS,

SUCH AS THOSE FROM
THE AMERICAN MIDWEST,

WHOSE FAITHFULNESS
TO QUAKER IDEALS

POSITIVELY IMPACTED
THE LARGER SOCIETY.

AND THESE ARE THE PREVIOUSLY
UNTOLD STORIES

OF SOME OF THOSE ARCHITECTS
OF PEACE AND EQUALITY.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: QUAKERS LEFT
ENGLAND IN THE 17TH CENTURY

TO ESTABLISH A COLONY
IN THE NEW WORLD -

WILLIAM PENN'S
"HOLY EXPERIMENT" -

INSPIRED BY THE IDEA OF LIVING
WHERE THEY COULD BE GOVERNED

ACCORDING TO THEIR FAITH.

PENN HAD BEEN GIVEN THE LAND BY
KING CHARLES THE SECOND

TO SETTLE A LARGE FAMILY DEBT.

PAUL: SO IN 1682,
HE SAILS ACROSS THE OCEAN

WITH A GROUP OF COLONISTS,
MOST OF WHOM ARE QUAKERS.

BUT HE DOESN'T SAY TO THE PEOPLE
ALREADY LIVING THERE,

"THIS IS MINE."

WHAT HE SAYS IS,
"I AM GOING TO BUY IT."

HE SAYS THIS NOT ONLY
TO THE SWEDES

AND THE DUTCH;

HE SAYS IT TO THE INDIANS
AS WELL.

HE SAYS "THIS IS LAND
THAT WE WANT TO SETTLE ON.

"WE RECOGNIZE IT AS YOUR LAND

AND WE WILL PURCHASE IT
FROM YOU,"

AND BEGINS, THE FIRST
ARE THE NUMBER OF TREATIES

THAT PEN AND HIS SONS MAKE
WITH THE INDIANS TO BUY LAND

THAT THE KING HAS
ALREADY GIVEN TO PENN.

NARRATOR:
AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH PENN,

TAMANEND, A NATIVE AMERICAN
DELAWARE CHIEF, DECLARED:

TAMANEND: WE WILL LIVE
IN LOVE WITH WILLIAM PENN

AND HIS CHILDREN AS LONG
AS THE CREEKS AND RIVERS RUN,

AND WHILE THE SUN, MOON,
AND STARS ENDURE.

PAUL: PEN WRITES THIS
CONSTITUTION

ALLOWING PEOPLE
FREEDOM TO WORSHIP,

ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY
EXCEPT IN SOME VERY--

I THINK IF YOU ENGAGED IN
TREASON YOU STILL BE EXECUTED,

BUT BEYOND THAT, THIS WAS
AN AMAZINGLY LIBERAL DOCUMENT

THAT HE PUT TOGETHER.

NARRATOR: THE QUAKER COLONY,
PENNSYLVANIA,

WAS OPEN TO ALL
AND GOVERNED WITH LAWS

BASED ON EQUALITY, TRUTH,
SIMPLICITY AND PEACE.

WILLIAM: PEACE REQUIRES JUSTICE,
JUSTICE REQUIRES LAW.

LAW REQUIRES GOVERNMENT,

NOT ONLY WITHIN NATIONS
BUT ALSO BETWEEN NATIONS.

-- WILLIAM PENN, 1693.

JUDY: IF YOU COULD
ONLY BUILD A STATE

WHERE PEOPLE WOULD BE FREE,

THEY COULD HAVE
FREEDOM OF RELIGION,

THEY COULD HAVE FREEDOM
TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES,

THERE COULD BE EQUALITY,

WOMEN COULD BE AS EQUAL AS MEN,
COULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS,

COULD DO THE SAME THINGS AS MEN,

THERE WOULD BE
NO NEED TO OWN SLAVES,

THAT EACH IN THEIR OWN WAY
WOULD GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY,

THAT YOU WOULD HAVE
A JUST GOVERNMENT,

THAT WOULD LOOK OUT FOR
EVERYONE WITHIN THE SOCIETY.

NARRATOR: UNFORTUNATELY, BY THE
TIME OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION,

THERE WERE MORE NON-QUAKERS
THAN QUAKERS IN PENNSYLVANIA,

AND THE HOLY EXPERIMENT
CAME TO AN END

AS QUAKERS WERE
VOTED OUT OF OFFICE

OR LEFT OFFICE RATHER THAN
PARTICIPATE IN DECISIONS

RELATED TO WAR-MAKING.

PAUL: HE THOUGHT HE WAS
GOING TO ESTABLISH A UTOPIA,

A HEAVEN ON EARTH AND FOUND OUT
THAT THE TOUGH REALITIES OF LIFE

REALLY GET IN THE WAY.

BUT HE DID CREATE THIS COLONY,
HE CREATED THIS MODEL.

WE HAVE THE MODEL
OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

THAT PENN ESTABLISHES
IN PENNSYLVANIA.

AND THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE UNITES STATES,

IN SOME WAYS DRAWS ON THINGS
THAT HE WROTE IN THE 1680S,

ALMOST 100 YEARS EARLIER.

NARRATOR: THOUGH THEY WERE
NO LONGER A MAJORITY

IN PENNSYLVANIA,

QUAKERS HAD SPREAD THROUGHOUT
THE AMERICAN COLONIES

WITH SUBSTANTIAL SETTLEMENTS
IN RHODE ISLAND, NEW JERSEY,

VIRGINIA, NORTH AND
SOUTH CAROLINA, AND GEORGIA.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: AS THE COLONIES
IN THE NEW LAND DEVELOPED,

SLAVERY BECAME A PART
OF THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM.

BUT QUAKERS WERE
TO FOLLOW A DIFFERENT PATH.

THROUGH THE 1700S, FRIENDS URGED
THEIR MEMBERS WHO OWNED SLAVES

TO FREE THEM AND MAKE PROVISIONS
FOR THEIR WELFARE

AND BY 1784 VIRTUALLY
NO QUAKERS OWNED SLAVES.

MARY: THE SLAVE ECONOMY
BECAME STRONG IN THE SOUTH,

SO IN 1806 MY FAMILY GROUP
OF QUAKERS

MOVE FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA
PIEDMONT AREA, TO OHIO.

THEY DID NOT WANT TO RAISE THEIR
CHILDREN IN THAT SLAVE SOCIETY.

SO IT WAS A MATTER OF CONSCIOUS
AND ALSO A MATTER OF ECONOMICS,

A MATTER OF LOOKING FOR A LIFE
THAT WOULD BE BETTER

FOR THEIR COMMUNITY
AND THEIR FAMILIES.

NARRATOR: APPALLED BY THE
CRUELTY OF SLAVERY AROUND THEM,

AND ATTRACTED TO THE POSSIBILITY

OF LIVING WHERE SLAVERY
WAS PROHIBITED,

MANY SOUTHERN QUAKERS
BEGAN MOVING

TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY,

SETTLING FIRST ON LAND
THAT NOW INCLUDES

THE STATES
OF OHIO AND INDIANA.

THOMAS: IN 1787 CONGRESS PASSED
THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE,

WHICH WAS TO PROVIDE FOR
THE ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNMENT

AND SETTLEMENT OF THE LANDS
NORTH OF THE OHIO RIVER.

WHAT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST
ELEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE;

HOWEVER, WAS ITS PROVISION
THAT NEITHER SLAVERY

NOR INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE

WOULD EVER EXIST IN THE LANDS
OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

AND FRIENDS ARE DRAWN
TOWARD TERRITORIES

WHERE SLAVERY IS ILLEGAL.

NARRATOR: DANIEL BOONE, WHO GREW
UP A PENNSYLVANIA QUAKER,

WAS AMONG THOSE WHO HELPED
FRIENDS MOVE WEST

IN SEARCH OF A PLACE TO LIVE
IN PEACE AND EQUALITY.

DANIEL: LET PEACE, DESCENDING
FROM HER NATIVE HEAVEN,

BID HER OLIVES SPRING AMIDST
THE JOYFUL NATIONS;

AND PLENTY,
IN LEAGUE WITH COMMERCE,

SCATTER BLESSINGS
FROM HER COPIOUS HAND!

DANIEL BOONE, 1784.

NARRATOR: IN 1799,
TWO QUAKER FAMILIES

FROM BUSH RIVER, SOUTH CAROLINA,
SETTLED ON "MILITARY LANDS"

IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO,
JUST NORTH OF FORT WASHINGTON,

THE SITE OF WHAT WOULD,
IN A FEW YEARS,

BECOME THE THRIVING RIVER
PORT TOWN OF CINCINNATI.

IN 1803, JOINED BY
MORE MIGRATING FRIENDS,

THEY ESTABLISHED THE FIRST
FORMALLY RECOGNIZED

QUAKER MEETING FOR
WORSHIP, OR "CHURCH",

IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO:

MIAMI MONTHLY MEETING
IN THE VILLAGE OF WAYNESVILLE.

AND THAT SAME YEAR,
SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN

BACK IN BUSH RIVER,
SOUTH CAROLINA

THAT WOULD OPEN THE FLOODGATES
FOR QUAKER MIGRATION

TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

ZACHARIAH DIX, A QUAKER,

DESCRIBED BY THOSE
WHO HEARD HIM SPEAK,

AS "A POWERFUL
RHAPSODICAL PREACHER"

WITH "PROPHETIC INSIGHT
IN AN UNUSUAL DEGREE,"

DELIVERED A DISTURBING MESSAGE.

THOMAS: BY THE 1790S,
FRIENDS HAD COME TO BELIEVE

THAT ZACHARIAS HAD
A GIFT OF PROPHECY.

THAT HE COULD SEE
INTO PEOPLE'S MINDS

AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR SECRET
SPIRITUAL STATES WERE.

AND THAT HE HAD FORESHADOWINGS
OF THE FUTURE.

AS FRIENDS RECORDED THEIR
MEMORIES OF HIS PREACHING

DECADES LATER, WHAT ZACHARIAS
HAD TO SAY TO THEM

WAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS -
"WOE UNTO THEE BUSH RIVER.

THE FLOWER OF THY GLORY
HAS FADED.

GET THEE, HENCE, OUT OF THIS
LAND OF EGYPTIAN SLAVERY

AND DARKNESS UNTO THE FREE
LANDS OF THE NORTHWEST."

AND WITHIN A FEW YEARS, A QUAKER
COMMUNITY THAT HAD NUMBERED,

PROBABLY CLOSE TO 1000 PEOPLE,

WAS FEWER THAN A HUNDRED
LEFT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

DONNE: THE QUAKERS WHO CAME HERE
TO THE MIDWEST

WERE THOSE WHO WERE MAYBE
MORE RISK-TAKERS.

THEY LEFT HOMES,

WELL-ESTABLISHED FARMS
AND VILLAGES

AND FAMILIES BACK EAST
AND MOVED WEST.

A LOT OF QUAKERS
STAYED ON THE EAST,

YOU KNOW, WHERE THEIR FARMS
AND FAMILIES WERE,

AND THEY DID GOOD WORK THERE,

BUT THE ONES WHO CAME WEST,

TOOK ALL SORTS OF RISKS
AND CHANCES,

AND IT STRIKES ME,
WE MAY KNOW LESS ABOUT THEM

BECAUSE THEY WERE DOERS
MORE THAN WRITERS.

THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY SIT AND
WRITE DOWN WHAT THEY HAD DONE,

THEY WERE OUT THERE
JUST DOING IT.

NARRATOR: A LARGE NUMBER
OF QUAKERS CONTINUED MIGRATING

TO PRESENT-DAY INDIANA AND OHIO
JUST LIKE THOSE FROM BUSH RIVER,

FAITHFULLY FOLLOWING GUIDANCE
FROM THEIR INNER LIGHT.

THOMAS: QUAKERS WHEREVER
THEY FORM COMMUNITIES,

FIRST FORMED A MEETING
FOR WORSHIP.

THE NEXT THING THEY DID
WAS TO OPEN A SCHOOL

FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

THOSE QUAKER SCHOOLS
ARE OFTEN ADMITTING

NON-QUAKER STUDENTS.

AND SOME OF THEM GAINED
A REPUTATION AS BEING

SOME OF THE BEST SECONDARY
SCHOOLS IN THE MIDWEST.

AFTER STATEHOOD IN 1803,

A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
WAS SET UP,

BUT BLACK CHILDREN
WERE NOT ADMITTED TO IT.

EVEN THOUGH BLACK LANDOWNERS
WERE FORCED TO PAY TAXES

THAT SUBSIDIZED
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,

THEIR CHILDREN COULD NOT
ATTEND THOSE SCHOOLS.

SO IF BLACK CHILDREN
WERE TO BE EDUCATED,

THAT MEANS THAT THEIR PARENTS
OR SYMPATHETIC WHITES

HAD TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.

DONNE: IN HARVEYSBURG,

WHICH IS JUST A FEW MILES
FROM WAYNESVILLE,

THERE WAS A QUAKER
MEETING THERE,

AND THERE WERE TWO QUAKERS,

ELIZABETH HARVEY
AND HER HUSBAND.

THEY STARTED THE FIRST
FOR CHILDREN OF COLOR IN OHIO,

WHICH WAS EARLY AND REALLY
UNHEARD OF AT THE TIME,

AND HIGHLY FROWNED ON AND GOT
A LOT OF CRITICISM FROM PEOPLE

WHO WEREN'T FRIENDS.

CARL: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
REALLY FEEDS FREEDOM

IS NOT A PLACE TO HIDE BUT
A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN,

A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BECOME A
PART OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY,

BUILD A HOME FOR YOUR FAMILY,

AND THEN SEND YOUR CHILDREN
BACK TO SCHOOL.

AND HARVEYSBURG CREATED
A SCHOOL FOR BLACK STUDENTS

AND THEN EVEN HIRE BLACK
AND WHITE TEACHERS.

AND SO IT WAS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT STARTED AT THE BASE.

PAUL: FOR EARLY FRIENDS
OF COURSE,

THIS IS JUST PLAIN SCRIPTURE.

EQUALITY IS...

YOU LOOK IN THE EPISTLE
FROM PAUL

AND IT SAYS IN CHRIST THERE
IS NO MALE OR FEMALE,

THERE IS NO GREEK OR JEW,
THERE IS NO SLAVE OR FREE.

IF WE ARE PART OF THE BODY
OF CHRIST, WE ARE ALL THE SAME

AND SO THE SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS
THAT WERE MADE

AND STILL ARE MADE TO A DEGREE

BETWEEN PEOPLE
OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS

AND DIFFERENT GENDERS,
THOSE ARE ALL IRRELEVANT.

THOSE ARE ALL OUTWARD THINGS,
BUT INTERNALLY WE ARE ALL,

AS I SAID, CHILDREN OF GOD,

AND ARE ALL EQUALLY
CHILDREN OF GOD.

NARRATOR: AS MORE AND MORE
OF THE COUNTRY

BEGAN RELYING UPON SLAVE
LABOR FOR PRODUCTIVITY

AND COST SAVINGS,

QUAKERS THROUGHOUT THE
NORTHWEST TERRITORY

CONTINUED TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT
AND DANGEROUS CHOICE

OF SUPPORTING FREEDOM FOR ALL.

CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY, A FOUNDING
MEMBER OF THE QUAKER MEETING

IN CINCINNATI, OHIO,

WAS ONE OF MANY QUAKERS TO GIVE
UP HIS RELIANCE ON SLAVE LABOR.

SABRINA: MARY P. HART

WAS CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY'S
GRANDDAUGHTER, AND FORTUNATELY,

SHE HAD THE WHEREWITHAL
TO SHARE HER MEMORIES

OF THE MEETING HOUSE AND SOME OF
THE ORAL HISTORY OF HER FAMILY

AND HOW THEY CAME
TO ARRIVE IN CINCINNATI.

MARY: THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS
CAME IN WAGONS

AND WITH THEM
A FAMILY OF NEGROES.

THE MAN WAS A DESCENDANT
OF A SLAVE OF GRANDFATHER'S

BEFORE GRANDFATHER JOINED
THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS,

AT WHICH TIME HE SET
ALL HIS SLAVES FREE.

MARY P. HART.

NARRATOR: EVEN FOR QUAKERS

LIVING IN THE SLAVERY
FREE NORTHWEST TERRITORY,

IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO
AVOID BEING DRAWN INTO

THE MOST CONTENTIOUS DEBATE
IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION.

MANY FRIENDS COMBINED
INTELLECT AND CREATIVITY

TO OVERCOME OPPOSITION TO THEIR
WORK FOR PEACE AND EQUALITY.

LEVI AND CATHERINE COFFIN
ARE PRIME EXAMPLES

OF SUCH MORAL INGENUITY.

THOMAS: IN THE 1830S AND 1840S,

THE TOWN OF NEWPORT
IN WAYNE COUNTY, INDIANA,

HAD A REPUTATION AS
BEING ONE OF THE MOST RADICAL

ANTI-SLAVERY CENTERS
IN THE UNITED STATES.

IT WAS WIDELY KNOWN THAT
HUNDREDS OF FUGITIVE SLAVES

HAD PASSED THROUGH NEWPORT;

MOST OF THEM
THROUGH THE COFFIN HOME,

AND HE ESTIMATED THAT,

I BELIEVE, IN THE COURSE
OF THEIR LIVES

FROM 1826 TO 1865 THEY HAD
AIDED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN

TWO AND THREE THOUSAND
FUGITIVES.

AND TO THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE
NONE OF THEM

WAS EVER SEIZED
AND RETURNED TO SLAVERY.

LEVI COFFIN WAS AN
EFFECTIVE CONDUCTOR

ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

NOT JUST BECAUSE HE WAS
A COMMITTED ABOLITIONIST,

BUT ALSO BECAUSE HE WAS A SMART,
COMMITTED ABOLITIONIST.

HE KNEW THAT IF SLAVE CAPTURERS
INVADED NEWPORT

OR EVEN HIS HOME,

THEY WOULD HAVE THE FORCE
OF LAW BEHIND THEM.

AND SO HE TRIED TO THINK OF WAYS

THAT HE MIGHT BE ABLE
TO OUTWIT THEM.

AND YOU CAN SEE THREE EXAMPLES
OF THAT HERE AT THE HOUSE.

THE FIRST IS THE WELL,
WHICH IS INSIDE.

AND OF COURSE, THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN CONVENIENT.

BUT IT ALSO HAD THE ADVANTAGE
THAT SNOOPY NEIGHBORS WHO MIGHT

NOT BE SYMPATHETIC WOULD NEVER
BE ABLE TO NOTICE JUST HOW MUCH

WATER THE COFFINS WERE
DRAWING FOR THEIR OWN USE

OR FOR THE 18 FUGITIVE SLAVES
THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE WITH THEM,

AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

IN THE ATTIC,
THERE IS A HIDING PLACE,

ONE WHERE PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN
CONCEALED, IF NECESSARY.

THEY ALSO HAVE A FALSE
BOTTOM WAGON,

WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN
ANOTHER EFFECTIVE WAY

TO TRANSPORT FUGITIVE SLAVES.

THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
PARTICULARLY IN DANGER

WHEN THEY'RE ON THE OPEN ROAD.

SO IF YOU THINK THAT SLAVE
CATCHERS MAY BE ON YOUR TRAIL,

THE FALSE BOTTOM WAGON
IS AN EXCELLENT WAY

TO TRANSPORT A FREEDOM SEEKER.

I THINK, TO ME,
IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE

OF COMBINING PRACTICALITY
WITH A MORAL WITNESS.

PAUL: HE DIDN'T TRY
AND HIDE FROM THE SHERIFF.

HE WAS JUST OPEN ABOUT IT

AND THIS IS WHAT REAL CIVIL
DISOBEDIENCE IS ABOUT.

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IS SAYING
THIS LAW IS WRONG.

I AM NOT GOING TO FOLLOW IT

AND DOING IT OUT WHERE PEOPLE
CAN CATCH YOU IF THEY WANT TO.

HE DIDN'T HIDE THE FACT THAT
HE WAS, NOT JUST A CONDUCTOR,

ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD,

HE WAS DESCRIBED AT THAT TIME
AS THE PRESIDENT

OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

AND HE WAS DESCRIBED
THAT WAY PUBLICLY.

NARRATOR: IN HIS MEMOIR,

LEVI COFFIN RECOUNTS
A CONVERSATION

WITH A MAN WHO DISAPPROVED

OF HIS HELPING SLAVES
ESCAPE FROM THEIR MASTERS.

LEVI: I TOLD HIM I HAD READ IN
THE BIBLE WHEN I WAS A BOY,

THAT IT WAS RIGHT TO FEED THE
HUNGRY AND CLOTHE THE NAKED,

AND TO MINISTER TO THOSE WHO
HAD FALLEN AMONG THIEVES

AND WERE WOUNDED,

BUT THAT NO DISTINCTION
IN REGARD TO COLOR

WAS MENTIONED IN THE GOOD BOOK,

SO IN ACCORDANCE
WITH ITS TEACHINGS

I HAD RECEIVED THESE FUGITIVES
AND CARED FOR THEM.

I THEN ASKED: "WAS I RIGHT,
FRIEND, IN DOING SO?"

HE HESITATED AND SEEMED
AT A LOSS HOW TO REPLY.

I CONTINUED: "HOW DOES
THY BIBLE READ?

WAS IT NOT AS I HAVE SAID?"

"YES, HE ANSWERED,
IT READS SOMEHOW SO."

HE EVIDENTLY WISHED
TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT.

LEVI COFFIN.

NARRATOR: IN ADDITION TO HELPING
FUGITIVES ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY,

COFFIN AND OTHER ABOLITIONISTS
WORKED TO UNDERMINE

ITS ECONOMIC FOUNDATION,

BUYING AND SELLING PRODUCTS
SUCH AS COTTON AND SUGAR

FROM PLANTATIONS THAT
HIRED FREE LABORERS

INSTEAD OF USING SLAVES.

IN 1846, A GROUP
OF ABOLITIONISTS

DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A FREE
LABOR WHOLESALE WAREHOUSE

IN CINCINNATI AND URGED
LEVI COFFIN

TO OVERSEE ITS OPERATION.

IN THE SPRING, LEVI AND
CATHERINE COFFIN

MOVED FROM THEIR HOME
IN NEWPORT, INDIANA

TO CINCINNATI, OHIO.

THROUGHOUT THEIR YEARS
IN CINCINNATI,

THE COFFINS ALSO HELPED THOSE
WHO SOUGHT FREEDOM

BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR EDUCATION,

TEACHING SIMPLE SKILLS DENIED
THOSE OPPRESSED BY SLAVERY.

CARL: PEOPLE LIKE LEVI COFFIN

NOT ONLY PROVIDED
YOU WITH SHELTER

BUT THEN PROVIDED YOU WITH HOPE.

IN HELPING BLACK PEOPLE
LEARN TO READ, WRITE

IN THE BASEMENT
OF UNION BAPTIST CHURCH,

THAT'S FREEDOM.

AND EVEN IF THEY CATCH YOU
AND TAKE YOU BACK

THEY DON'T OWN YOU ANYMORE.

COFFIN AND OTHER PEOPLE LIKE HIM
UNDERSTOOD THAT PHYSICAL FREEDOM

WITH NO JOB AND NO WAY
TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY

IS JUST ANOTHER FORM OF SLAVERY.

NARRATOR:
ANOTHER CINCINNATI FRIEND

WHO TOOK THE TESTIMONY AGAINST
SLAVERY PARTICULARLY TO HEART

WAS MORDECAI MORRIS WHITE.

HIS MATERNAL GRANDFATHER WAS
A WEALTHY PLANTATION OWNER,

AND IN 1846, WHEN MORRIS WHITE
WAS ONLY 16 YEARS OLD,

HE INHERITED A LARGE ESTATE
FROM HIS GRANDFATHER,

INCLUDING A NUMBER OF SLAVES.

SABRINA: WHEN HE WAS
IN HIS EARLY TWENTIES

AND LIVING IN CINCINNATI
AS A YOUNG BUSINESSMAN,

THE REALIZATION THAT HE WAS A
SLAVE OWNER BEGAN TO BOTHER HIM,

SO HE MADE THE JOURNEY
ON HORSEBACK

ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO NORTH CAROLINA,

REGISTERED HIS SLAVES

TO ESTABLISH HIS OWNERSHIP
AND HIS ABILITY TO FREE THEM,

AND THEN AT THREE IN THE MORNING
STARTED ON A JOURNEY

BACK TO THE MIDWEST.

WHEN HE GOT TO NORFOLK
HE WAS OFFERED $10,000 IN GOLD

FOR HIS GANG OF SLAVES,
AND TURNED IT DOWN.

GARY: THE PERSONAL
PROPERTY VALUE

OF THE SIX MILLION
SLAVES IN THE SOUTH

WAS WORTH MORE MONEY

THAN ALL THE FACTORIES
AND INVENTORY

OF EVERYTHING UP NORTH.

AND SO, WHEN YOU ASK THAT THAT
BE TAKEN AWAY AND GIVEN AWAY,

THAT WOULD BE LIKE TELLING
PROCTER & GAMBLE

TO GIVE AWAY ALL THEIR SOAP.

WE DON'T REALIZE
HOW MUCH VALUE THERE WAS

AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA
OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE

TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO RUN AWAY.

NARRATOR: EVENTUALLY MORDECAI
WHITE'S GROUP MADE ITS WAY

TO RAYSVILLE, INDIANA,
A SETTLEMENT OF QUAKERS

AND FREE PEOPLE OF COLOR
WHERE WHITE HAD RELATIVES.

THERE, WHITE RENTED AND
FURNISHED TWO HOUSES

FOR HIS FORMER SLAVES, AND FOUND
JOBS FOR THE MEN CHOPPING WOOD,

MAKING FENCING RAILS,
AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT

THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM
TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES.

DONNE: IT'S A RISK TO LET YOUR
LIFE SPEAK WHAT YOU BELIEVE.

SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT
YOU SAY YOU BELIEVE,

IF YOUR ACTIONS ARE
SHOWING A DIFFERENT BELIEF,

THEN IT DOESN'T MATTER.

BUT IT IS RISKY.

NARRATOR: QUAKERS WHO DID NOT
DIRECTLY PROTECT

AND GUIDE SLAVES TO FREEDOM
ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

FOUND OTHER WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE,
SUCH AS CINCINNATI FRIEND,

ACHILLES PUGH
AND CLINTON COUNTY QUAKERS,

ISAAC AND SARAH HARVEY.

CARL: PUGH OWNED A
PRINTING COMPANY

THAT PUBLISHED,
"THE PHILANTHROPIST"

THAT WAS WRITTEN
BY JAMES BIRNEY.

BIRNEY WAS LIKE LEVI COFFIN AND
LIKE JOHN RANKIN FROM RIPLEY.

AND THAT BIRNEY
WAS A SOUTHERNER,

BIRNEY WAS THE SON OF A SLAVE
OWNER FROM DANVILLE, KENTUCKY

WHO SAID THIS ISN'T RIGHT.

AND SO HERE IS A GUY
OF PRIVILEGE

WHO HAS A STRONG MORAL BASE

AND JUST TURNS HIS BACK
ON WEALTH

AND STARTED WRITING THIS PAPER,

AND SOME OF THE CITIZENS
OF CINCINNATI

BURNED HIS PRESS TWICE

AND DUMPED IT HERE
IN THE OHIO RIVER.

SABRINA: WHAT'S WORSE
THEY DECIDED TO GO

TO ACHILLES PUGH'S HOUSE
THAT NIGHT

TO MAKE SURE THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE

ANY MORE PRINTING
EQUIPMENT HANDY.

AND IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN
A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE,

TO HAVE THIS ANGRY MOB
AT YOUR FRONT DOOR STEP,

WITH YOUR WIFE AND YOUR CHILDREN
THERE IN YOUR HOME.

FORTUNATELY THEY DIDN'T COMMIT
ANY VIOLENCE.

AND HE COULD HAVE
SAID TO HIMSELF,

"THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS.

I AM NOT GOING TO DO
THIS ANYMORE."

INSTEAD HE WENT
TO HIS PRINTING PRESS,

LITERALLY PICKED UP THE PIECES,

AND CONTINUING PUBLISHING
THE PHILANTHROPIST.

DONNE: THERE ARE CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS WHO EXEMPLIFY

WHAT IT MEANS
TO BE A QUAKER,

AND WHAT IT HAS MEANT
FROM THE BEGINNING,

AND ONE OF THE QUALITIES
IS A DEGREE OF FAITHFULNESS

TO LEADING, TO COMMUNICATING

OR BEING COMMUNICATED
WITH GOD AND LISTENING.

AND ISAAC AND SARAH HARVEY
ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.

MARY: IN THE LATE SUMMER
OF 1862,

HE WAS PLOWING IN HIS FIELD

AND CAN YOU IMAGINE WALKING
BEHIND HORSES AND A PLOW

AND THAT MUST BE A VERY
MEDITATIVE KIND OF EXPERIENCE,

YOU KNOW.

SO HE WAS DOING THIS AND
HE HEARD A VOICE THAT SAID,

"GO TO WASHINGTON
AND TALK TO THE PRESIDENT."

AND HE SAID, I DON'T --

HE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER
THE VOICE WAS OUTSIDE OR INSIDE

BUT HE SAID,
"I HEAR YOU."

SO HE UNHITCHED HIS HORSE
AND TOOK CARE OF HIS HORSES,

WENT TO THE HOUSE
AND SAID TO HIS WIFE SARAH,

"WILL YOU GO TO WASHINGTON
WITH ME TO SEE THE PRESIDENT?"

AND SHE IN HER QUAKER WAY SAYS,
"WHO SENDS THEE?"

AND HE SAYS, "THE LORD."

SO OF COURSE SHE'S READY TO GO
WITH HIM AND THEY DO.

NARRATOR: THE CIVIL WAR
WAS UNDERWAY

AND THE COUNTRY WAS
DIVIDED AND DEVASTATED,

BY BOTH WAR AND SLAVERY.

BUT ISAAC HARVEY WAS CONVINCED

GOD HAD GIVEN HIM A
MESSAGE TO SHARE

THAT MIGHT PROVIDE THE SOLUTION.

DONNE: SO SARAH AND ISAAC HARVEY
GET OFF THE TRAIN

IN WASHINGTON DC.

THEY DON'T KNOW THE CITY;

THEY DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

THEY LOOK ACROSS THE STREET,

AND THERE IS A FELLOW STANDING
OVER THERE BY A STREET LAMP.

SO THEY GO OVER TO HIM AND ASK
DIRECTIONS TO THE WHITE HOUSE;

THEY HAVE COME
TO SEE THE PRESIDENT.

SO HE ASKS THEM
A FEW QUESTIONS

AND IT TURNS OUT THAT HE IS
SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,

SALMON P. CHASE.

HE IS FROM CINCINNATI;

HE HAD SERVED SEVERAL
DIFFERENT POLITICAL OFFICES,

INCLUDING GOVERNOR OF OHIO.

WHEN HE FINDS OUT
THEY ARE FROM WILMINGTON,

AND HE KNOWS THEY'RE QUAKERS,
AND HE KNOWS THE AREA,

HE TAKES THEM, HE SAYS,
"COME WITH ME;

I WILL GET YOU SETTLED."

HE TAKES THEM TO A BOARDING
HOUSE OR SOMETHING,

AND FINDS THEM A ROOM,

AND HE SETS UP
AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEM

TO GO SEE ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

MARY: SO THEY WENT
INTO THE WAITING ROOM

AND MANY PEOPLE
READING THE NEWSPAPER

BECAUSE THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM
HAD JUST BEEN FOUGHT

AND THE NORTH HAD WON

BUT THERE HAD MANY,
MANY CAUSALITIES.

SO THEY WAITED THINKING
CERTAINLY THEY WOULD PROBABLY

NEVER GET IN WITH ALL THESE
IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON.

BUT AT THEIR APPOINTED TIME,
PRESIDENT LINCOLN CALLED THEM IN

AND THEY REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT
LINCOLN PICKED UP HIS CHAIR

AND CAME OVER
AND SAT BETWEEN THEM

SO THAT HE COULD TALK
TO THEM MORE PERSONALLY.

SO THEY TALK
FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR

AND AT THE END OF THAT TIME

PRESIDENT LINCOLN
SIGNED A NOTE

SAYING THAT THEY
HAD VISITED WITH HIM,

THAT THEY HAD COMFORTED HIM
AND DATED IT.

ABRAHAM: I TAKE PLEASURE
IN ASSERTING THAT I HAVE HAD

PROFITABLE INTERCOURSE WITH
FRIEND ISAAC HARVEY

AND HIS GOOD WIFE SARAH HARVEY.

MAY THE LORD COMFORT THEM
AS THEY HAVE SUSTAINED ME.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN -
SEPTEMBER 19, 1862.

DONNE: ABOUT TWO DAYS
AFTER THE HARVEY VISIT,

THE FIRST DRAFT
OF WHAT WOULD BECOME

THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
WAS GIVEN TO THE CONGRESS.

IN THIS PRELIMINARY VERSION

LINCOLN INCLUDES IN
HIS SECOND PARAGRAPH

ALMOST EXACTLY WHAT ISAAC
HARVEY HAD SUGGESTED,

AND THAT IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT,

THE US GOVERNMENT PURCHASE
SLAVES FROM THE SOUTH.

NARRATOR: ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1862,
LINCOLN ISSUED THE FOLLOWING:

ABRAHAM: THAT IT IS MY PURPOSE,

UPON THE NEXT
MEETING OF CONGRESS

TO AGAIN RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION
OF A PRACTICAL MEASURE

TENDERING PECUNIARY AID
TO THE FREE ACCEPTANCE

OR REJECTION OF
ALL SLAVE STATES, SO CALLED,

THE PEOPLE WHEREOF
MAY NOT THEN BE IN REBELLION

AGAINST THE UNITED STATES
AND WHICH STATES

MAY THEN HAVE
VOLUNTARILY ADOPTED,

OR THEREAFTER MAY
VOLUNTARILY ADOPT,

IMMEDIATE OR GRADUAL
ABOLISHMENT OF SLAVERY

WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE LIMITS.

DONNE: AND THE WONDERFUL
THING THAT HAPPENS

WHEN YOU ARE FAITHFUL
LIKE THAT,

IS THAT YOU ARE ABLE
TO DO THINGS

YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO.

YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO JUST ARRIVE,

GET OFF THE TRAIN
IN WASHINGTON DC

AND MAKE YOUR WAY TO SEE
PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT
KIND OF CONFIDENCE,

YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND YOU CAN--

YOU ACCOMPLISH
INCREDIBLE THINGS,

AND THAT'S ALONG WITH
THIS IDEA OF GEORGE FOX

WHEN HE SAID "LET YOUR LIFE
SO PREACH."

IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR LIFE WILL--
WHAT YOU DO,

IF YOU ARE FAITHFUL
AND TUNED IN AND LISTENING

AND YOU ACT ON THEM,

YOUR LIFE WILL SPEAK
WHAT YOU BELIEVE.

SO IT'S A POWERFUL MESSAGE
TO WATCH SOMEONE LIVE A FAITH

AND NOT JUST SAY IT.

[MUSIC]

THOMAS:
SINCE THE 17TH CENTURY

THE OFFICIAL QUAKER POSITION HAS
BEEN THAT ALL WARS AND FIGHTING

ARE CONTRARY TO THE WILL OF GOD

AND THAT FRIENDS AS FAITHFUL
CHRISTIANS, CAN NEVER BEAR ARMS

TO DEPRIVE FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS
OF THEIR LIVES,

EVEN IN SELF-DEFENSE.

THE CIVIL WAR IS DIFFERENT.

THEY SEE THE CONFEDERACY

AS COMMITTED TO THE
DEFENSE OF SLAVERY

AND THAT, IN QUAKER MINDS,

MAKES IT ABSOLUTELY IMMORAL,
INDEFENSIBLE.

SO, THAT'S THE CHOICE
THAT FRIENDS ARE FACING.

JUDY: IF WE TRULY ACCEPT AND
BELIEVE THAT THERE IS INDEED

THAT OF GOD IN EVERY PERSON,
THEN WE MUST BE A PEACEMAKER.

WE MUST GIVE FULL JUSTICE
AND EQUALITY TO EVERY PERSON

AND SEEK THE PEACE
AND JUSTICE THAT THE WORLD NEEDS

AND THAT THE SPIRIT
REQUIRES OF US.

NARRATOR: JUST AS THE COUNTRY
WAS DIVIDED, SO WERE QUAKERS.

TORN BETWEEN THEIR
ABHORRENCE OF SLAVERY

AND THEIR TESTIMONY OF PEACE,

A NUMBER OF YOUNG QUAKER MEN
JOINED THE UNION ARMY.

A LARGER NUMBER, HOWEVER,

ELECTED NOT TO PARTICIPATE
IN VIOLENCE;

FOR THIS THEY WERE
LABELED AS COWARDS

AND FACED DERISION AND
HUMILIATION BY SOCIETY-AT-LARGE.

ALTHOUGH QUAKERS WERE NOT
WILLING TO KILL

FOR THEIR PRINCIPLES,

THEY WERE WILLING TO SUFFER,
AND EVEN DIE FOR THEM.

THE 1864 FRIENDS DISCIPLINE
FOR QUAKERS IN INDIANA

AND SOUTHWESTERN OHIO
ACKNOWLEDGED THE CHALLENGES

OF THE PEACE TESTIMONY
IN WARTIME:

MALE QUAKER: IF DURING THE
COMMON COURSE OF THEIR LIFE,

FRIENDS ARE ATTACKED,
INSULTED, AND PERSECUTED,

THEY OUGHT TO SUFFER WRONG,
TO REVENGE NO INJURY,

TO RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL;
AND LOVE THEIR ENEMIES.

SO ALSO, SHOULD IT HAPPEN
THAT THEY ARE EXPOSED

TO THE MORE EXTRAORDINARY
CALAMITIES OF WAR,

THEIR CONDUCT MUST
CONTINUE TO BE GUIDED

BY THE SAME PRINCIPLES.

IF THE SWORD OF THE INVADER
BE LIFTED UP AGAINST THEM,

THE PRECEPT IS STILL AT HAND,
THAT THEY RESIST NOT EVIL.

IF THE INSULTS AND INJURIES
OF THE CARNAL WARRIOR

BE HEAPED UPON THEM,

THEY ARE STILL FORBIDDEN
TO AVENGE THEMSELVES,

AND STILL COMMANDED TO PRAY
FOR THEIR PERSECUTORS.

IF THEY ARE SURROUNDED
BY A HOST OF ENEMIES,

HOWEVER VIOLENT AND MALICIOUS
THOSE ENEMIES MAY BE,

CHRISTIAN LOVE MUST STILL BE
UNBROKEN, STILL UNIVERSAL.

NARRATOR:
WHILE WITHSTANDING VERBAL

AND SOMETIMES
PHYSICAL PERSECUTION,

FRIENDS FOUND WAYS
TO CONTRIBUTE SOLUTIONS

WHILE AVOIDING VIOLENCE.

FOR INSTANCE, MARY J. TAYLOR,

CLERK OF THE WOMEN'S MEETING
IN CINCINNATI,

ORGANIZED ASSISTANCE FOR
SOLDIERS WHO WERE ENCAMPED

IN GARFIELD PARK, AND HER SON,
DR. WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,

PROVIDED MEDICAL SERVICES
TO THE WOUNDED.

OTHER CINCINNATI AREA FRIENDS

WERE CHALLENGED TO
ACTION AS WELL.

FEMALE QUAKER 1: ENDEAVOR,
AS WAY MAY OPEN,

TO RELIEVE IN SOME MEASURE,

THE COLORED PEOPLE
NOW AT OR NEAR CAIRO,

WHO ARE WITHOUT A HOME
IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE WAR

NOW EXISTING IN OUR
BELOVED COUNTRY,

AND WHO,
BY THE LAWS OF THE LAND,

ARE MOST LIKELY ENTITLED
TO FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY...

AT THIS TIME THERE
ARE ABOUT 4,000 PERSONS,

PRINCIPALLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN,
AT OR NEAR THAT PLACE,

THE ABLE BODIED MEN
BEING MOSTLY EMPLOYED

IN THE OPPOSING ARMIES,
LEAVING THEIR HELPLESS FATHERS,

MOTHERS, WIVES, AND CHILDREN
WITHOUT THE MEANS OF SUPPORT.

1862.

DONNE: THERE WERE SLAVES

WHO WERE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF BATTLEGROUNDS.

SO THERE WAS DREADFUL SUFFERING
AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SLAVES

AND WERE NOW ACCORDING
TO THE LAW, FREEDMEN,

BUT THEY WERE NOT FREE FROM
SUFFERING AND POVERTY AND SO ON.

NARRATOR: QUAKERS FORMED VARIOUS
COMMITTEES TO PROVIDE SUPPORT

FOR THOSE SUFFERING
BECAUSE OF THE WAR,

INCLUDING THE INDIANA
YEARLY MEETING COMMITTEE

ON THE CONCERNS
OF THE PEOPLE OF COLOR

AND THE COMMITTEE
FOR CONTRABAND RELIEF,

WHICH INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES
FROM CINCINNATI FRIENDS MEETING,

ACHILLES PUGH AND
MURRAY M. SHIPLEY, AMONG OTHERS.

AS THE WAR CAME TO A CLOSE
AND FOR YEARS TO FOLLOW,

QUAKERS WERE INVOLVED

WITH PICKING UP
THE BROKEN PIECES OF SOCIETY

AND WORKING TO REBUILD IT.

SABRINA: ACCORDING TO SOME
SOURCES, DURING THE CIVIL WAR,

MURRAY SHIPLEY WAS INVOLVED

IN HELPING TO ESTABLISH
SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH

WHICH INVOLVED GOING DOWN
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER,

UNDER FIRE AT TIMES,

FROM EITHER OF THE UNION FORCES
OR THE CONFEDERATE FORCES

SO THAT HE COULD BRING RELIEF
TO THE PEOPLE IN THOSE AREAS.

DONNE: LEVI COFFIN AND OTHER
QUAKERS IN THE CINCINNATI AREA

MADE TRIPS DOWN TO ALABAMA
AND MISSISSIPPI

TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THEY CAME BACK,
THEY RAISED MONEY AND FUNDS

AND THEY STARTED THIS WESTERN
FREEDMEN'S COMMISSION

TO CONTINUE TO GET FOOD
AND CLOTHING AND SUPPLIES

AND RELIEF FOR
THE SUFFERING PEOPLE.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
THEY DID,

BESIDES FEED AND
CLOTHE THE SLAVES,

WAS BUILD SCHOOLS
AND START TEACHING THEM,

BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT
THEY WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE

OF SURVIVING IN THIS NEW WORLD,
WHATEVER IT WAS GOING TO BE,

TO SURVIVE, THEY WERE
GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE

SOME OF THOSE BASIC SKILLS.

CARL: AFTER THE CIVIL WAR,

YOU HAD FOUR AND A HALF MILLION
PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT,

MOST OF WHOM
HAD NO FORMAL EDUCATION.

AND COFFIN NOT ONLY HELPED THEM
IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING AWAY,

AT LEAST 2000, BUT HE THEN
HELPED AN EVEN A LARGER NUMBER

WITH THE KIND OF PROGRAMS THAT
THE FREEDMAN'S BUREAU SET UP:

ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOLS,

ESTABLISHMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
THAT PEOPLE WITH NOTHING,

NEEDED TO BEGIN TO BECOME
FULL-FLEDGED CITIZENS.

NARRATOR: WHEN COFFIN DIED
IN 1877,

HIS SERVICE WAS HELD AT
CINCINNATI FRIENDS MEETINGHOUSE.

FOUR OF THE EIGHT PALLBEARERS
WERE FREED BLACK MEN.

ONE OF THE SPEAKERS
WAS REV. DR. RUST,

SECRETARY OF THE FREEDMEN'S
AID SOCIETY

OF THE METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

DR. RUST: LEVI COFFIN HAD TOO
GREAT A MISSION

TO SPARE ANY TIME
TO TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF,

AND GOD TOOK CARE OF HIM.

HE WAS AN HONEST, WISE,
AND JUDICIOUS MAN -

WISE IN SELECTING THE MOST
PRACTICAL AND JUDICIOUS METHODS.

HE WAS A BRAVE
AND COURAGEOUS MAN.

IT WOULD TAKE LESS BRAVERY TO GO
UP TO THE CANNON'S MOUTH

THAN TO DO THE WORK HE DID.

AS HE WALKED
THROUGH THE STREETS,

HE WAS HOOTED AT
AND THREATENED BY MOBS.

THE BATTLEFIELD HAS NO SUCH
ILLUSTRATIONS OF HEROISM

AS HE EXHIBITED EVERY DAY.

REVEREND DR. RUST, 1877.

NARRATOR: THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY IN CINCINNATI

HELD FUND RAISERS TO BUILD
A MEMORIAL FOR HIM,

BUT IT WAS QUAKER PRACTICE
TO MAINTAIN SIMPLICITY

AND EQUALITY EVEN IN DEATH.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS WISHES,

CATHERINE COFFIN HAD
HER HUSBAND BURIED

IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE
IN THE MEETINGS CEMETERY.

WHEN CATHERINE COFFIN
DIED IN 1881,

SHE WAS ALSO BURIED
IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE

IN THE FRIENDS CEMETERY.

TWENTY YEARS LATER, IN 1901,
CINCINNATI FRIENDS MEETING

WAS INFORMED THAT "PERSONS NOT
IN MEMBERSHIP WITH US

"DESIRE TO ERECT A MONUMENT
TO THE LATE LEVI COFFIN

ON OUR LOT IN
SPRING GROVE CEMETERY."

CINCINNATI FRIENDS MEETING
GRANTED PERMISSION

TO ERECT A MONUMENT

SO LONG AS FRIENDS APPROVED
OF THE INSCRIPTION.

AMONG A FEW SIMPLE HEADSTONES
IN THE QUAKER SECTION

OF SPRING GROVE CEMETERY,
STANDS A SINGLE SIX-FOOT MARKER,

DEDICATED IN A CEREMONY
ON MAY 30, 1902.

INSCRIBED ON THE MONUMENT
ARE THE FOLLOWING WORDS:

FEMALE QUAKER 2: LEVI COFFIN,
DIED 9TH MO. 16, 1877

IN HIS 79TH YEAR,
A CHRISTIAN PHILANTHROPIST.

CATHERINE COFFIN DIED 5TH MO 22,
1881 IN HER 78TH YEAR,

HER WORK WELL DONE.

NOBLE BENEFACTORS AIDING
THOUSANDS TO GAIN FREEDOM -

A TRIBUTE FROM THE
COLORED PEOPLE OF CINCINNATI.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: AFTER THE CIVIL WAR,
ANOTHER GROUP THAT GARNERED

THE ATTENTION AND
SYMPATHIES OF QUAKERS

WERE NATIVE AMERICANS,

SPECIFICALLY, THE CHEYENNE,
WICHITA AND COMANCHE TRIBES.

THOMAS: ONE OF THE DELICIOUS
IRONIES OF AMERICAN HISTORY

WAS THAT WHEN
GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT

BECAME PRESIDENT IN 1869,

HE DECIDED THAT
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

NEEDED A NEW INDIAN POLICY.

ONE THAT EMPHASIZED PEACE.

ONE THAT TOOK THE ADMINISTRATION
OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

AWAY FROM THE ARMY

AND PRIVATE CONTRACTORS AND
AGENTS WHO WERE OFTEN CORRUPT,

AND TURNED IT OVER
TO THE CHURCHES.

PEOPLE WHO PRESUMABLY
WOULD BE HUMANITARIAN.

WHO WOULD PRACTICE PEACE ON
EARTH, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN.

NARRATOR: IN 1869, WHEN A GROUP
OF QUAKERS WENT TO SEE

PRESIDENT ELECT GRANT
AND MADE THE SUGGESTION

THAT INSTEAD OF SOLDIERS
AS INDIAN AGENTS,

PEOPLE OF FAITH BE APPOINTED,

GRANT LISTENED ATTENTIVELY
TO THE QUAKERS, AND RESPONDED:

PRESIDENT GRANT: GENTLEMEN,
YOUR ADVICE IS GOOD.

I ACCEPT IT.

NOW GIVE ME THE NAMES OF SOME
FRIENDS FOR INDIAN AGENTS

AND I WILL APPOINT THEM.

IF YOU CAN MAKE QUAKERS
OUT OF THE INDIANS

IT WILL TAKE
THE FIGHT OUT OF THEM.

LET US HAVE PEACE.

ULYSSES S. GRANT.

NARRATOR: THUS,
PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT

WAS LED TO PURSUE WHAT BECAME
KNOWN AS THE "QUAKER POLICY,"

THE APPOINTMENT OF FRIENDS
AND OTHER CLERGY

TO OVERSEE THE CORRUPTION-RIDDEN
BUREAU OF U.S. INDIAN AFFAIRS,

AND TO ACT AS "INDIAN AGENTS"
ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

DISTRIBUTING FUNDS AND SUPPLIES

TO TRIBES WHO WERE LOSING
MORE AND MORE OF THEIR LAND

TO SETTLERS FROM THE EAST,

AND BEING FORCED TO LIVE
ON RESERVATIONS.

IT IS BELIEVED THAT MUCH
OF THE MOTIVATION

FOR INVOLVING THE QUAKERS WAS
THEIR POSITIVE REPUTATION

AMONG NATIVE AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES.

MARY: NOW, WILLIAM PENN
STARTED THAT.

WHEN HE CAME TO PENNSYLVANIA,

HE MADE TREATIES
WITH THE INDIANS.

THESE TREATIES WERE NOT BROKEN.

THEY PURCHASED LAND,

THEY TRIED TO BE AS HONEST
AS THEY COULD

AND AS EQUAL AND FAIR TO THE
NATIVE-AMERICANS.

SO, THAT TRADITION WAS HANDED
DOWN THROUGH THE SOCIETY.

AND THEY BUILT SCHOOLS,
HELPED THEM BUILD MILLS

AND PROVIDED THINGS

SO THAT THE NATIVE-AMERICANS
COULD ESTABLISH THEIR OWN HOMES

AND MAKE A LIFE FOR THEMSELVES.

NARRATOR: ONCE AGAIN,
MANY OF THOSE INVOLVED

IN THE EFFORT,
CAME FROM THE MIDWEST.

CINCINNATI FRIEND MURRAY SHIPLEY
SERVED AS CHAIRMAN

OF THE ASSOCIATED
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF FRIENDS

ON INDIAN AFFAIRS,

AND OTHER MEMBERS OF CINCINNATI
MEETING WERE APPOINTED

AS INDIAN AGENTS INCLUDING
THE INDOMITABLE HARRIET STEER,

WHO SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS
WITH TRIBES IN MISSOURI,

AND ACHILLES PUGH, WHO TRAVELED
TO KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA TERRITORY

WITH TWO OTHER FRIENDS ON THE
ASSOCIATED EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

INITIALLY, QUAKERS SEEMED
TO HAVE THE SUPPORT

OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN THEIR
WORK WITH THE PLAINS TRIBES.

THE CINCINNATI COMMERCIAL
TRIBUNE REPORTED:

NEWSPAPER REPORTER:
THE QUAKER AGENTS ARE UNWEARIED

IN THEIR EFFORTS FOR
THE AMELIORATION

OF THE INDIANS' CONDITION,

AND HONEST IN
DISPENSING THE RATIONS

AND ANNUITIES THEY ARE
ENTITLED TO RECEIVE.

UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM, THE AGENTS
SELDOM LIVED WITH THE TRIBES,

WHILE THE NEW AGENTS
ABIDE WITH THEM;

AND THIS IS A GREAT ADVANTAGE.

CINCINNATI COMMERCIAL TRIBUNE
SEPTEMBER 23, 1869.

NARRATOR: HOWEVER,
MANY WESTERN SETTLERS

WERE NOT FANS OF THE EXPERIMENT.

THOMAS: MANY OF THEM
WERE OF THE SCHOOL:

THE ONLY GOOD INDIAN
IS A DEAD INDIAN.

WHEN THEY SAW QUAKERS
COMING IN URGING JUSTICE

FOR NATIVE AMERICANS,

POINTING OUT HOW
VERY OFTEN LOCAL OFFICIALS,

WHITE SETTLERS, WERE STEALING
FROM NATIVE AMERICANS,

ENCROACHING ON THEIR LANDS,

WITHHOLDING GOVERNMENT FUNDS
THAT WERE RIGHTLY THEIRS,

THIS DID NOT ENDEAR
QUAKERS TO THOSE PEOPLE.

SO SOON, WASHINGTON WAS BEING
INUNDATED BY COMPLAINTS

FROM SETTLERS THAT THE QUAKERS
WERE COMPLETELY UNREALISTIC

AND THAT THEY WERE ENDANGERING
THE LIVES OF SETTLERS.

NARRATOR: UNFORTUNATELY,
THE TRUST PLACED IN THE QUAKERS

BY PRESIDENT GRANT WAS NOT
SHARED BY OFFICIALS

IN THE ADMINISTRATION
OF RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.

IN 1879, ENCOUNTERING ANTAGONISM

AND LACK OF COOPERATION
BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS,

QUAKERS WITHDREW FROM
GOVERNMENT SPONSORED WORK

AND INSTEAD DIRECTED
THEIR EFFORTS

TOWARD ESTABLISHING
QUAKER MEETINGS,

BUILDING AND STAFFING
SCHOOLS ON RESERVATIONS,

AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS
THAT CONTINUE TODAY.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: IN 1896,
WHEN THERE WERE RUMORS OF WAR

BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
GREAT BRITAIN, MURRAY SHIPLEY,

ONE OF THREE RECORDED MINISTERS
AT CINCINNATI FRIENDS MEETING,

ALONG WITH WILLIAM H. TAYLOR
AND ANNA M. JOHNSON,

THOUGHT IT PROVIDED:

MURRAY: A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
TO PROCLAIM

THE PRINCIPLES OF OUR SOCIETY
IN OPPOSITION TO ALL WAR,

AND OUR ADVOCACY
OF PEACEFUL MEANS

OF ADJUSTING ALL INTERNATIONAL
DIFFICULTIES.

MURRAY SHIPLEY, 1896.

NARRATOR: AND HE ADDED THAT
THE AIM OF THE FRIENDS WAS:

MURRAY: NOT TO TRANSLATE
CHRIST'S TEACHINGS

INTO A FREE RENDERING ADAPTED
TO THE CUSTOMS OF THE DAY,

BUT TO UPHOLD HIS STANDARD

AND LET THE WORLD BECOME NOT
ONLY ANTI-SLAVERY, BUT ANTI-WAR.

NARRATOR: THIS OPTIMISTIC 19TH
CENTURY HOPE WAS SHORT LIVED.

INSTEAD, IN THE NEXT CENTURY,
QUAKERS EVERYWHERE

FOUND THEMSELVES
REPEATEDLY CHALLENGED

TO UPHOLD THE PEACE TESTIMONY

WITH ITS UNDERPINNINGS OF
EQUALITY, TRUTH AND SIMPLICITY.

PAUL: WAR BREAKS OUT
IN 1914 IN ENGLAND FIRST.

THERE'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE
FRIENDS IN ENGLAND,

QUAKERS IN ENGLAND ARE CLEAR
THAT THEY ARE PACIFISTS.

WHAT THEY DO IN ENGLAND
IS TO ESTABLISH

THE FRIENDS AMBULANCE SERVICE,
WHICH WAS A MEDICAL CORPS,

INDEPENDENT OF THE ARMY.

YOUNG MEN, PRINCIPALLY QUAKERS
BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY QUAKERS,

WHO WOULD VOLUNTEER
TO DRIVE AMBULANCES

AND SERVE AS MEDICS
AT THE FRONT.

DONNE: SO RUFUS JONES AND
JAMES BABBITT AND HENRY CADBURY

AND SOME OTHER QUAKER LEADERS
AT THE TIME,

DECIDED THAT THEY NEEDED
A SIMILAR ORGANIZATION

FOR AMERICAN QUAKERS
SO THAT THEY COULD DO SOMETHING,

SO THEY COULD SERVE WITHOUT
SERVING IN THE MILITARY'S WAY.

NARRATOR: IT WAS THEN, IN 1917,

THAT THE AMERICAN FRIENDS
SERVICE COMMITTEE, OR AFSC,

WAS FORMED, TO FEED, CLOTHE,

AND PROVIDE AID
TO THE VICTIMS OF WAR.

RUTH: IF YOU LOOK
AT THE UNIFORMS

THEY LOOKED EXACTLY
LIKE THE UNIFORMS

THAT THE AMERICAN MILITARY
WERE WEARING IN THAT CONFLICT,

AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE
ACTUALLY BUYING

SURPLUS ARMY UNIFORMS,

AND OUTFITTING THESE
YOUNG MEN IN THIS.

SO WHEN YOU SEE THE UNIFORMS
THEY HAVE ON THE SLEEVE

THE RED AND BLACK STAR,
WHICH WAS ADOPTED AS THE LOGO

FOR THE AMERICAN FRIEND
SERVICE COMMITTEE.

DONNE: AND THERE WERE LOT
OF YOUNG QUAKERS

AND OTHER MEMBERS OF PEACE
CHURCHES LIKE THE MENNONITE

AND THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
WHO DID NOT WANT TO GO FIGHT.

THEY WERE WILLING TO SERVE,
THEY WERE WILLING TO DIE,

BUT THEY DIDN'T,
THEY COULDN'T KILL.

SO WHILE THERE WERE BOMBS
STILL FALLING IN FRANCE,

AMERICAN QUAKERS
AND BRITISH QUAKERS

WERE REBUILDING FARMHOUSES

AND HELPING THE PEOPLE WHOSE
WHOLE TOWNS HAD BEEN DESTROYED.

QUAKERS WENT IN THERE
AND WERE REBUILDING,

EVEN AS THE DESTRUCTION
WAS STILL HAPPENING.

NARRATOR: ONE OF THOSE
DEVOTED MEMBERS

OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS
SERVICE COMMITTEE

WAS WILMINGTON, OHIO NATIVE,
LUTHER WARREN.

RUTH: LUTHER WARREN TELLS THIS
AMAZING POWERFUL STORY

ABOUT SPENDING THE DAY WITH THIS
FRENCH FAMILY

AND AT THIS POINT, ALL THAT IS
LEFT OF THIS FAMILY

IS GRANDMA, MOM,
AND A LITTLE GIRL,

AND SO LUTHER AND
A COUPLE OF HIS PARTNERS

ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD
THIS HOME FOR THIS FAMILY.

THEY ARE SO GRATEFUL
TO HAVE THIS HOME,

TO HAVE A ROOF OVER
THEIR HEADS AGAIN.

LUTHER AND THE MEN LEAVE
TO GO BACK TO THEIR CAMP

AND FIND OUT FIRST THING
IN THE MORNING

THAT THE BATTLE LINES
HAVE SHIFTED

AND SO THEY HAVE TO GO BACK
TO THIS SAME FAMILY

AND EVACUATE THEM FROM THIS
HOME THAT THEY JUST BUILT.

WHAT'S REALLY AMAZING ABOUT
THIS STORY IS LUTHER WARREN,

MAYNARD MCKAY, MARK MCMILLAN

ALL OF THESE YOUNG MEN
FROM THIS AREA

THEY'RE HAVING, FIRST OF ALL,
THESE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

THAT FARM BOYS FROM
SOUTHWEST OHIO

HAVE NEVER HAD BEFORE.

BUT TO THINK ABOUT
THE COURAGE THAT IT TOOK,

TO SAY "NO, I DON'T BELIEVE
THAT THAT IS SOMETHING

"THAT I CAN PARTICIPATE IN

AND SO THIS IS WHAT I AM GOING
TO CHOOSE TO DO INSTEAD."

AND THEN TO KNOW THAT
THEY WERE IN JUST AS MUCH DANGER

AS THE YOUNG MAN
WHO WERE CARRYING RIFLES.

NEIL: SOME OF THEM WORKED
AS MEDICS

OR IN THE HOSPITALS,
THAT AND OTHER FUNCTIONS,

BUT HOSPITAL WORK, AND THIS WAS
COMMON TO WORK WITH REFUGEES

AND CHILDREN
AND YOUNG MOTHERS,

A KIND OF FOCUS ON
THAT KIND OF RELIEF.

I LIKE THIS COMBINATION:
TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES

THAT WILL HAVE LONG TERM
AND BROAD EFFECTS

THE AMERICAN FRIEND SERVICE
COMMITTEE HAS DONE THAT.

NARRATOR: ACCORDING
TO WALLACE T. COLLETT,

WHO SERVED AS CHAIRMAN

OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE
COMMITTEE IN THE 1970S,

ITS ORGANIZERS IN 1917

WERE INSPIRED BY A QUOTATION
FROM WILLIAM PENN:

WILLIAM: LET US THEN TRY
WHAT LOVE WILL DO;

FOR IF MEN DID ONCE SEE
WE LOVE THEM,

WE SHOULD SOON FIND
THEY WOULD NOT HARM US.

NARRATOR: THOUGH THE GREAT WAR
CAME TO A CLOSE IN 1918,

THE WORK OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS
SERVICE COMMITTEE CONTINUED.

RUTH: SOMETHING CLOSE
TO A MILLION CHILDREN A DAY

FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS,

WERE BEING FED BY
THIS RELIEF WORK IN EUROPE.

THAT WORK HAD
A POWERFUL LEGACY

BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T JUST
FEEDING FRENCH CHILDREN,

THEY WERE FEEDING GERMAN
CHILDREN AS WELL.

THEY WERE FEEDING ANYONE
WHO NEEDED TO BE FED.

THERE IS A MAN NAMED JOE VOLK,
WHO, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS,

WAS THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

OF THE FRIEND'S COMMITTEE
ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION.

IN THE 1970S AND 1980S
HE WAS TRAVELING IN GERMANY,

AND THEY WERE WORKING ON
EAST-WEST RELATIONS

AND ANTI-NUCLEAR WEAPONS WORK,

BUT HE WAS TALKING
WITH SOME OFFICIALS

HIGH UP IN THE
GERMAN GOVERNMENT.

AND AT SOME POINT WAS JUST KIND
OF REALLY PERSONALLY AMAZED

THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE
SO WILLING AND OPEN

TO TALK WITH HIM,

WHEN THEY WEREN'T WILLING AND
OPEN TO TALK WITH OTHER PEOPLE

AND SO HE FINALLY ASKED
SOMEBODY, WHAT IS IT?

WHY ME?
WHY US?

WHY THE AMERICAN FRIEND
SERVICE COMMITTEE?

WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO US AND
YOU WONT TALK TO ANYONE ELSE?

AND THIS GERMAN OFFICIAL SAID
BECAUSE I WOULDN'T BE HERE

IF YOU HADN'T FED MY PARENTS.

AND SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
A GENERATION AFTER, RIGHT,

THIS GUY'S PARENTS HAD
BEEN FED BY QUAKERS

IN THE YEARS AFTER WORLD WAR I.

SO WE THINK A LOT AND WE HEAR
A LOT ABOUT THE RIPPLE EFFECTS

OF CONFLICT AFTER
THE CONFLICT IS OVER,

BUT TO THINK ABOUT THE RIPPLE
EFFECTS OF HUMANITARIAN AID

AND OF PEACE WORK GENERATIONS
AFTER THAT'S HAPPENED

AND I THINK THAT'S A STORY
THAT DOESN'T GET TOLD ENOUGH.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: BY 1940, IT WAS CLEAR
THAT ANOTHER MAJOR CONFLICT

WAS BREWING IN EUROPE.

ROBERT JONES, MINISTER
OF CINCINNATI FRIENDS MEETING,

ATTENDED A GATHERING
IN RICHMOND, INDIANA,

"FOR THE PURPOSE OF,"
AS THEY EXPLAINED,

"DISCUSSING WHAT FRIENDS CAN DO
IN THIS WORLD OF CONFUSION."

HE REPORTED THAT THE AMERICAN
FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE

WAS TRYING TO WORK OUT,
WITH THE GOVERNMENT,

SOME SORT OF SERVICE
FOR THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS,

SHOULD WAR COME.

THE RESULT WAS "THE SELECTIVE
TRAINING AND SERVICE ACT,

WHICH, INCLUDED AN EXEMPTION
FROM COMBAT FOR ANY PERSON "WHO,

"BY REASON OF RELIGIOUS
TRAINING AND BELIEF,

"IS CONSCIENTIOUSLY OPPOSED

TO PARTICIPATION
IN WAR IN ANY FORM."

THOMAS: DURING WORLD WAR II,

FEDERAL LAW RESTRICTED
THE ALTERNATIVE SERVICE

OF CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

TO PROJECTS WITHIN
THE UNITED STATES.

SO YOU SAW
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

WHO WORKED AS ATTENDANTS
IN MENTAL HOSPITALS,

WHO WORKED IN FORESTRY CAMPS

DOING CONSERVATION
OR FIRE-FIGHTING WORK.

SOME OF THE BRAVEST
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

VOLUNTEERED TO BE GUINEA PIGS
IN MEDICAL EXPERIMENTS,

TESTING VACCINES
FOR VARIOUS DISEASES

OR EVEN TAKING PART
IN STARVATION EXPERIMENTS

THAT WERE AIMED AT GETTING
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING

OF HOW FORMER POWS

OR CONCENTRATION CAMP SURVIVORS
COULD BE NURSED BACK TO HEALTH.

SO THEY WERE BRAVE
IN THEIR OWN WAY.

NARRATOR: SEVERAL QUAKERS
FROM THE MIDWEST

TOOK PART IN THESE
DANGEROUS EXPERIMENTS.

DONNE: WAYNE OVERMEYER

PARTICIPATED AS
HUMAN GUINEA PIGS

IN SOME OF THESE EXPERIMENTS

IN WORLD WAR II.

DAVID STOFFREGEN WAS THE FIRST
QUAKER IN CINCINNATI TO REGISTER

AS A CO FOR THAT WAR AND TO
SIGN UP FOR THE CPS CAMPS.

NARRATOR: ANOTHER YOUNG QUAKER
BY THE NAME OF T. CANBY JONES,

WAS ALSO A CO DURING
WORLD WAR II.

NEIL: CANBY IS VERY,
VERY INTERESTING FELLOW,

A PHD FROM YALE.

HE WAS A CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR
AND WORKED WITH THE COS

IN NORWAY AS WELL AS SOME PLACES
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES

AND HE'S ALSO
A BIBLICAL SCHOLAR.

HE WAS BORN IN JAPAN,
HIS FATHER WAS A MISSIONARY.

HIS FATHER BECAME
THE PRINCIPAL OR PRESIDENT

OF A BLACK UNIVERSITY
IN THE SOUTH WHERE HE WAS RAISED

SO HE'S ALWAYS BEEN ON CUTTING
EDGE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

NARRATOR: CANBY LATER
BECAME A BELOVED PROFESSOR

AND PEACE ACTIVIST AT
WILMINGTON COLLEGE IN OHIO,

WHERE HE WAS KNOWN
ON CAMPUS AS "MR. QUAKER."

BARRED FROM SENDING RELIEF
WORKERS TO BATTLE ZONES

DURING WWII,

ONE WARTIME CONCERN

THE AMERICAN FRIENDS
SERVICE COMMITTEE ADDRESSED

WAS THE PLIGHT
OF MORE THAN

120,000 JAPANESE AMERICANS
ARRESTED ON THE SUSPICION

OF BEING "ENEMY ALIENS"

AFTER PEARL HARBOR WAS
ATTACKED IN 1941.

ENTIRE FAMILIES WERE IMPRISONED
IN TEMPORARY INTERNMENT CAMPS,

UNTIL THEY COULD BE "RELOCATED"
FROM THE WEST COAST

BY THE NEWLY CREATED WRA
OR "WAR RELOCATION AUTHORITY."

SABRINA: WITHIN 48 HOURS
OF THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER,

THAT BASICALLY ROUNDED UP
HUNDREDS OF JAPANESE AMERICANS

THAT LIVED ON THE WEST COAST,
AND PUT THEM IN INTERNMENT CAMPS

IDENTIFYING THEM
AS ENEMY ALIENS.

THEY HAD TO SELL
THEIR FARMLANDS,

CLOSE THEIR BUSINESSES,

AND THEY WENT TO THESE CAMPS

LITERALLY WITH ONLY
WHAT THEY COULD CARRY.

THEY WERE TOLD THAT
THAT THEY HAD TO STAY THERE,

UNTIL THE MILITARY ORDER
WAS LIFTED,

OR RESCINDED, OR MODIFIED.

G. RAYMOND BOOTH WAS
A FORMER QUAKER PASTOR,

AND HAD BEEN A FORMER EXECUTIVE
SECRETARY OF THE PACIFIC COAST

DIVISION OF AMERICAN FRIENDS
SERVICE COMMITTEE.

HE WAS THE FIRST REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE WRA HERE IN CINCINNATI

AND MET WITH MEMBERS OF
CINCINNATI FRIENDS MEETING,

TO DISCUSS HIS CONCERNS

FOR HELPING JAPANESE
AMERICANS GET SETTLED.

NARRATOR: IN RESPONSE,
A HOSTEL WAS ESTABLISHED--

TEMPORARY QUARTERS--
WHERE JAPANESE AMERICANS

COULD STAY UNTIL EMPLOYMENT

AND MORE PERMANENT LIVING
ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE FOUND.

A UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
DORMITORY

WAS LEASED FOR USE
AS THE HOSTEL.

AND BOOTH LED BY EXAMPLE,

HIRING THE FIRST
INTERNMENT CAMP MEMBER

TO RELOCATE TO CINCINNATI,
HIS SECRETARY, ELVA SHINOZAKI.

SABRINA: CINCINNATI FRIENDS
WERE GREATLY INVOLVED IN THIS,

THEY WOULD COORDINATE PICNICS

WITH THE YOUNG
JAPANESE AMERICANS.

THEY INVITED THEM
TO COME TO WORSHIP

AND ABOUT 700 INDIVIDUALS

TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SERVICES
OFFERED THROUGH THE HOSTEL.

SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE
FELT WELCOMED ENOUGH

BY CINCINNATI FRIENDS THAT THEY
JUST DECIDED TO JOIN THE MEETING

TO BECOME QUAKERS THEMSELVES.

NARRATOR:
AFTER THE HOSTEL CLOSED,

CINCINNATI QUAKERS CONTINUED
THEIR RELATIONSHIP

WITH THE JAPANESE,

CONTRIBUTING FUNDS TO REBUILD
A FRIENDS SCHOOL IN JAPAN

WHICH HAD BEEN
DESTROYED BY BOMBS.

MEANWHILE, AS IT HAD AFTER WWI,

AT THE END OF WWII THE AMERICAN
FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE

SENT RELIEF WORKERS TO HELP
REBUILD EUROPE.

ONE YOUNG QUAKER WHO JOINED THAT
EFFORT WAS ROBERT "BOB" MCCOY

WHO GREW UP ON A FARM
IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO.

DONNE: THEN AMERICAN FRIENDS
SERVICE COMMITTEE WENT OVER

TO WAR-TORN EUROPE AND
BEGAN DOING THE WORK

OF FEEDING THE STARVING PEOPLE
WHO WERE THERE,

BOTH GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN
AND RUSSIAN.

I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T JUST GO
FEED THE CHILDREN OF ALLIES,

BUT THEY FED THE CHILDREN
OF THE ENEMIES.

AND BOB MCCOY WORKED THERE FOR
ABOUT FOUR YEARS AFTER THE WAR.

NARRATOR: ONE DAY,
WHILE OUT DRIVING A TRUCK,

BOB'S WORK PARTNER HAD QUITE
A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE

WITH A LOCAL VILLAGER.

DONNE: AS HE WENT ALONG
FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE,

HE WOULD STOP AND PICK UP
PEOPLE IF THEY WERE WALKING

AND IT LOOKED LIKE
HE HAD ROOM,

AND SO HE PICKED UP THIS
ELDERLY MAN,

GAVE HIM A RIDE
TO THE NEXT VILLAGE,

AND THE OLD MAN CAME IN ON
THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK AND ASKED,

"HOW MUCH DO I OWE YOU?"

AND THE GUY, THE AMERICAN
FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE FELLOW

SAID "NOTHING,
THIS IS WHAT WE DO;

YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE TO HELP."

AND THE OLD MAN GLANCED UP AND
HE SAW THE QUAKERS INSIGNIA,

AND HE SAID, "AH, QUAKERS,
THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING."

THAT WAS LEFT OVER BECAUSE

THEY REMEMBERED WHAT QUAKERS
HAD DONE IN WORLD WAR I.

AND THAT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT
THAT SAYING FROM WILLIAM PENN,

"LET US THEN TRY
WHAT LOVE WILL DO,"

AND I THINK LOVE GIVEN FREELY
DURING AND AFTER WORLD WAR I

WAS REMEMBERED 50
AND 60 YEARS LATER

AND HAD AN IMPACT 50 OR 60 YEARS
LATER ON YOUR ENEMIES.

I MEAN THAT'S SUCH
A POWERFUL LESSON,

AND IT GIVES CREDENCE AND WEIGHT
TO THE TEACHINGS OF CHRISTIANITY

AND OF QUAKERISM.

PAUL: AFTER THE WAR IN
RECOGNITION OF THIS,

FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
IN ENGLAND

AND THE AMERICAN FRIENDS
SERVICE COMMITTEE

ARE AWARDED
A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.

IT'S INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
OF THE ALTERNATIVE TO WARFARE,

THAT QUAKERS IN THEIR BEST
SENSE, REPRESENT.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: OVER THE NEXT
THREE DECADES

THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
FOCUS OF AMERICANS

AND MUCH OF THE WORLD,

SHIFTED FROM EUROPE TO THE
GROWING CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.

IN 1954, FIVE BLACK PARENTS
IN HILLSBORO, OHIO

BROUGHT A LAWSUIT AGAINST
THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD

FOR ITS POLICY OF SEGREGATION
IN THE SCHOOLS.

IN ITS RULING ON
BROWN VS. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

EARLIER THAT YEAR,
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAD

"ABOLISHED THE 'SEPARATE
BUT EQUAL' RULE UNDER WHICH

"HILLSBORO'S AFRICAN AMERICAN
CHILDREN HAD BEEN EDUCATED

IN SEGREGATED SCHOOLS
FOR DECADES."

THE NAACP HELPED PROVIDE LEGAL
COUNSEL IN THE HILLSBORO SUIT.

"THURGOOD MARSHALL,
WHO SUCCESSFULLY ARGUED

"THE BROWN CASE, WROTE THE
BRIEFS AND SIGNED THE PETITION

SUBMITTED TO THE
DISTRICT COURT IN CINCINNATI."

ONE OF THE PARENTS,
IMOGENE CURTIS,

APPROACHED LOCAL
QUAKER MEETINGS

IN NEARBY LEESBURG
AND WILMINGTON,

AND REQUESTED THEIR HELP.

THIS WAS HOW THE FREEDOM SCHOOLS
OF HILLSBORO, OHIO,

ALSO KNOWN AS THE
"KITCHEN SCHOOLS" BEGAN.

REBECCA GODFREY'S MOTHER
WAS INVOLVED WITH THE EFFORT.

REBECCA: MY DAD HAPPENED
TO BE SERVING

ON A COMMITTEE AT THE TIME
FOR THE YEARLY MEETING

THAT RECEIVED THE REQUEST.

HE CAME HOME AND HE INFORMED HER

THAT HE HAD VOLUNTEERED HER TO
GO TO HILLSBORO ONCE A WEEK

AND HELP WITH THE SCHOOLING
OF THESE CHILDREN.

SO THE GROUP OF
QUAKER TEACHERS--

THERE WERE FOUR OF THEM--

WOULD GO TO HILLSBORO
ON MONDAYS,

AND MEET, AND WORK WITH
THE CHILDREN ON THAT DAY.

AND THEN, THEY WOULD LEAVE
LESSON PLANS

FOR THE MOTHER TEACHERS
TO CARRY OUT

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK.

AND THAT'S HOW THEY BECAME KNOWN
AS THE KITCHEN SCHOOLS

BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM,

THEY SAT AROUND A KITCHEN
TABLE FOUR OR FIVE CHILDREN.

NARRATOR: DURING THAT, LIFELONG
BONDS WERE ESTABLISHED

BETWEEN THE BLACK PARENTS
AND THE QUAKER TEACHERS.

REBECCA: I WAS AT A FAMILY
REUNION WITH MY TEENAGE SON

WHO INVITED HIS FRIEND TO COME.

AND HIS FRIEND IS BIRACIAL

AND I SAID, "DO YOU HAVE
ANY RELATIONS IN HILLSBORO?"

AND HE GOES "I THINK SO.

I THINK MY--"

I SAID, "IMOGENE AND
ORVILLE CURTIS, BY ANY CHANCE?"

AND HE SAYS, "WELL, MY DAD
WAS ORVILLE CURTIS

"AND HE WAS NAMED
AFTER HIS UNCLE.

I THINK THAT THEY LIVED
IN HILLSBORO".

AND SO, HERE, YOU KNOW, MY MOM
HAD WORKED WITH MS. IMOGENE

IN THE KITCHEN SCHOOLS AND TWO
GENERATIONS LATER

HER GRANDSON AND ORVILLE CURTIS,

HER HUSBAND'S GREAT NEPHEW
ARE BEST FRIENDS.

YOU KNOW, IT MAKES YOU
KIND OF PROUD

THAT YOUR MOM HAD
A PART IN THAT.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: WHEN AMERICAN
INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONFLICT

IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ESCALATED,
SO DID QUAKER CONCERN.

FRIENDS EVERYWHERE
PROTESTED THE WAR.

WILMINGTON COLLEGE,

UNDER THE LEADERSHIP
OF QUAKER PRESIDENTS,

BECAME A FOCUS
OF QUAKER ACTIVISM.

GARY KERSEY, A GRADUATE
OF WILMINGTON COLLEGE,

RECOUNTS HIS TIME AT THE SCHOOL

DURING THE PEAK
OF DEMONSTRATIONS.

GARY: I SAW THESE DEMONSTRATIONS
STARTING TO UNFOLD.

I REMEMBER THERE WERE THOSE WHO
OPPOSED THE WAR

KIND OF LINING UP
ON ONE SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK

AND THOSE WHO WERE IN SUPPORT
OF THE TROOPS

WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,

YOU KNOW, I CAN GO BACK DOWN
THE BACK STAIRS OF COLLEGE HALL,

GET IN MY COUGAR
AND GO TO HARDY'S

AND AVOID THIS WHOLE DILEMMA

AS TO WHETHER I'M GOING TO BE
A PART OF THIS,

WHETHER I'M GOING TO BE
FOR THE WAR

OR SHALL WE SAY AGAINST THE WAR.

AND I MUST SAY THAT I THINK I
HAD REACHED THE POINT IN MY LIFE

THAT UP 'TILL THAT TIME,

MOST EVERYBODY HAD BEEN
TELLING ME WHAT I OUGHT TO DO

AND WHAT I OUGHT TO SAY
AND WHAT I OUGHT TO FEEL.

I HAD A LOT OF GOOD TEACHERS.

I HAVE WONDERFUL PARENTS,

HAD A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE
TELLING ME WHAT TO DO.

BUT HERE WAS A CASE

WHERE I WAS GOING TO HAVE
TO MAKE THIS DECISION MYSELF.

AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT
OF PEOPLE OUT THERE

THAT MAYBE HAVE
A CERTAIN FEELING

BUT THEY JUST DON'T CAPTURE
THAT FEELING

BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID
OF WHAT PEOPLE WILL THINK

THAT THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

NARRATOR: THOUGH MANY
PEOPLE STRUGGLED

WITH HOW TO RESPOND TO THE WAR,
WILMINGTON COLLEGE PROFESSOR,

LARRY GARA AND HIS WIFE
LENNA MAE DID NOT.

THE GARA'S WERE INVOLVED
IN A PLETHORA OF VIGILS

AND DEMONSTRATIONS
DURING THE VIETNAM WAR

AND WERE QUITE FAMILIAR
WITH THE CONSEQUENCES

OF ACTING UPON THEIR BELIEFS.

LARRY SERVED MULTIPLE
PRISON SENTENCES

FOR HIS CHALLENGES
TO THE SYSTEM,

BEGINNING DURING WORLD WAR II.

LARRY: I WAS ONLY ARRESTED
ONCE DURING VIETNAM.

I DON'T TAKE CIVIL
DISOBEDIENCE LIGHTLY.

AND IN 1942 WHEN I WAS
SUPPOSED TO REGISTER

I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE;
IT WAS A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE.

I PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED
THAT I COULD NOT,

IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, REGISTER
AND OF COURSE WHEN I DID THAT,

WHEN I WAS 20 YEARS OLD,

I WAS SENTENCED
TO PRISON FOR THREE YEARS.

NARRATOR: YEARS LATER,
ACCUSED OF COUNSELING A STUDENT

TO REFUSE TO REGISTER
FOR THE DRAFT,

GARA WAS SENTENCED TO PRISON
FOR ANOTHER 18 MONTHS,

SEPARATING HIM FROM HIS WIFE
LENNA MAE.

LENNA MAE: WE HAD BEEN MARRIED
FOR ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS THEN

AND THAT WAS KIND
OF DIFFICULT, VERY DIFFICULT,

BUT I WAS YOUNG,
HE WAS YOUNG,

WE WERE HEALTHY,
AND WE GOT THROUGH IT.

LARRY: I'VE REGRET A LOT
OF THINGS I'VE DONE

BUT I NEVER REGRETTED
REFUSING TO REGISTER.

I THINK IT WAS ABSOLUTELY
THE RIGHT THING TO DO

AND STILL FEEL THAT WAY.

NARRATOR: THROUGHOUT
THE VIETNAM WAR,

QUAKERS EVERYWHERE HELD
PEACE VIGILS,

AND IN MAY 1970, CINCINNATI
AND WILMINGTON FRIENDS

JOINED OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS
IN PROTESTING THE KILLING

OF FOUR KENT STATE
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

BY THE OHIO NATIONAL GUARD.

CURRENT CINCINNATI FRIENDS
MEMBER, JIM CROCKER-LAKNESS,

WAS A STUDENT AT KENT STATE.

HE REMEMBERS THAT MORNING.

JIM: THE GUARD MOVED
INTO THE FENCED IN AREA

AND FOUND THEMSELVES BLOCKED,
COULDN'T MOVE.

SO THERE WAS A MOMENT
OF BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN,

ABOUT EIGHT TO TEN OF US,
IN THE PARKING LOT.

THE NATIONAL GUARD
WOULD SHOOT THEIR TEAR GAS

AND WE WERE ABLE TO RUN
DOWN WIND OF THE TEAR GAS

AND PICK IT UP
AND THROW IT BACK.

AND THEN I FOUND MYSELF--
I HAD PICKED UP A ROCK

AND I FOUND MY ARM
COCKED READY TO THROW THIS ROCK

AND TIME STOOD STILL.

THE UNIVERSE VANISHED
AND I HEARD JESUS SAY,

"JIM ARE YOU SURE
YOU WANT TO DO THAT?

DROP THAT ROCK AND FOLLOW ME."

AND SO MY CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTION TO WAR

AND NON-VIOLENCE BASED ON
THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS,

CAME BACK TO ME
AND I DID DROP THE ROCK.

NARRATOR: ANOTHER INFLUENTIAL
QUAKER ACTIVELY INVOLVED

IN FOLLOWING THE PEACE TESTIMONY
WAS WALLACE COLLETT,

A WWII CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR
FROM WILMINGTON, OHIO.

AFTER GRADUATING
FROM WILMINGTON COLLEGE,

COLLETT MOVED TO CINCINNATI,

WHERE HE BECAME A PROMINENT
BUSINESSMAN AND CIVIC LEADER.

AND EVENTUALLY BECAME CHAIRMAN

OF THE AMERICAN FRIENDS
SERVICE COMMITTEE.

PAUL: WALLACE WAS UPFRONT,

OUT IN THE OPEN WITH HIS WAR
TAX RESISTANCE.

EVERY YEAR HE WOULD
FILL OUT HIS 1040

AND HE'D GET TO THE BOTTOM
AND HE'D WRITE A NOTE

AND ATTACH IT, TELLING THE IRS
THAT HE HAD NOT PAID X DOLLARS

BECAUSE HE CONSIDERED
THEM TO BE DOLLARS

THAT SUPPORTED THE MILITARY.

BUT THEN HE WENT ON
AND HE WOULD TELL THEM

"I HAVE DEPOSITED THAT
AMOUNT OF MONEY

"PLUS WHATEVER YOU KNOW
10% FOR THE PENALTIES

"THAT I KNOW YOU
ARE GOING TO ASSESS

"PLUS ANY INTEREST
THAT MIGHT BE DUE.

I PUT IT ALL IN THIS
BANK ACCOUNT."

HE'D GIVE THEM THE BANK NAME
AND THE ACCOUNT NUMBER

SO THEY COULD GO
AND GET THAT MONEY.

SO HE WAS GOING TO RESIST
THE TAXES.

HE KNEW THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO WANT IT

AND HE WASN'T GONNA TRY
TO STOP THEM FROM GETTING IT.

IN FACT HE ENDED UP PAYING MORE
BECAUSE HE KNEW THEY WERE

GOING TO ASSESS PENALTIES
AND INTEREST ON IT.

ALL THAT MONEY WAS IN THE BANK,
BUT THEN HE DID SOMETHING ELSE.

THIS IS THE GOOD PART.

HE KNEW THE PRESIDENTS OF MOST
OF THE BANKS IN CINCINNATI,

MAYBE ALL THE BANKS
IN CINCINNATI.

HE WOULD OPEN AN ACCOUNT
AT THE BANK, PUT THE MONEY IN,

BUT THEN HE'D MAKE
AN APPOINTMENT

WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK

AND HE WOULD GO IN AND HE'D
SAY, "HI AL, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

"IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

"LISTEN THE IRS IS GOING TO COME

AND THEY ARE GOING
TO SEIZE MY ACCOUNT."

WELL, YOU CAN IMAGINE
THE SHOCK THAT THIS WOULD CAUSE.

I MEAN, THIS IS A PERMANENT
PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY

AND HE IS TELLING ME AS
THE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK

THAT THEY ARE GOING TO COME
AND SEIZE HIS ASSETS.

AND SO OF COURSE WHAT
DO I DO AS THE PRESIDENT?

I SAID WHY, WHAT'S GOING ON?

AND WALLACE WOULD THEN HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THEM

ABOUT WHAT WAR TAXES
REPRESENTED,

WHY THEY WERE WRONG AND WHAT
HE WAS DOING TO RESIST THEM.

IT GAVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO
MINISTER TO PROMINENT PEOPLE,

PEOPLE WITH POWER AND AUTHORITY
IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

AND I JUST THINK THAT'S JUST
SUCH A TREMENDOUS EXAMPLE

FOR ALL OF US.

NARRATOR: OVER THE YEARS, OTHERS
LIKE JIM CROCKER-LAKNESS

FACED DIFFICULT CHOICES RELATED
TO THE PEACE TESTIMONY.

SUCH WAS THE SITUATION
OF RYAN MYERS

DURING DESERT STORM IN 1990.

BUT AFTER SOME GUIDANCE
FROM FELLOW FRIEND

AND CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR,
CHARLIE PIERSON,

MYERS WAS MORE
CONFIDENT IN HIS DECISION.

RYAN: LOOKING AT HAVING TO
REGISTER FOR SELECTIVE SERVICE,

THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO.

SO CHARLIE PEARSON, WHO WAS
A MEMBER OF THE MEETING

I WAS A CO DURING WWII,

WAS A BIT OF MENTOR FOR ME
WHEN I WAS YOUNG.

I THINK I TOOK SOME
STRENGTH FROM THAT

KNOWING THAT, OKAY I KNOW
CHARLIE AND I RESPECT CHARLIE.

HE WAS ABLE TO DO IT,
HE WAS OKAY.

OF COURSE, WHEN I WAS
MAKING THE DECISION

I KNEW IT CARRIED POTENTIAL
LEGAL CONSEQUENCES.

THE POSSIBILITY OF A PRETTY
SUBSTANTIAL FINE,

PRISON TIME, AND I'M NOT
ELIGIBLE FOR STUDENT LOANS.

BUT I THINK IT WAS
THE RIGHT DECISION FOR ME.

I THINK IF THE CIRCUMSTANCES
WERE THE SAME

I'D MAKE THE DECISION AGAIN.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: IN RECENT YEARS,
SOME QUAKERS HAVE,

AS THEIR PREDECESSORS DID,

FOCUSED ON PROJECTS TO PROVIDE
EDUCATION EQUALITY.

WITH THE SUPPORT OF HER
LOCAL FRIENDS MEETING,

CINCINNATI QUAKER CATHY BARNEY
HAS PUT HER ENERGY

INTO AN ARTS PROGRAM FOR
UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN.

CATHY: I STARTED IT BECAUSE I
JUST KNEW THAT THERE WERE KIDS

IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE OPTIONS
AND OPPORTUNITIES

THAT THE AVERAGE KID HAS,

YET THESE KIDS WERE
JUST AS VALUABLE.

I HOPE TO PROVIDE
A SAFE PLACE FOR THESE KIDS,

I HOPE IT SPARKS
SOMETHING IN THEM.

THAT MAYBE AN AREA
OR OPPORTUNITY WOULD OPEN UP

THAT THEY HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.

DONOVAN: IT'S JUST A WAY
TO BE CREATIVE

AND GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY.

MCKENZEE: WE PAINTED STUFF AND
WE GOT LIKE ONE OF THOSE HATS

THAT THE ARTISTS WEAR.

CATHY: SOME OF THE KIDS
HAVE TOLD ME

THEY REALLY LIKE TO COME HERE
BECAUSE IT GETS THEM

AWAY FROM THE DAILY DRAMA
WHERE THEY LIVE.

ANGEL: I KEEP COMING BACK
BECAUSE SOMETIMES

WHEN I LIKE HAVE A BAD DAY, THIS
IS THE ONLY PLACE I CAN GO TO

AND IT LIKE MAKES ME
FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF.

I MISS CATHY AND MISS PAT AND
ALL OF THEM TEACHING ME

THE IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES
AND STUFF IN LIFE.

CATHY: I THINK IT REALLY GIVES
THEM A VOICE, SELF EXPRESSION.

IF THESE KIDS HAVE A VENUE
FOR SELF EXPRESSION

THEN THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE,

THEY HAVE A VOICE AND THEY CAN
SAY NO TO BAD INFLUENCES,

THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

I THINK IT MAKES THEM STRONGER.

DONOVAN: IF I WOULD
LEARN SOMETHING,

IT WOULD BE HOW TO HELP PEOPLE

AND TEACH PEOPLE
HOW TO DO THE ART STUFF.

ANGEL: I'M JUST LIKE
A DIFFERENT PERSON,

LIKE I'M MORE MATURE AND I KNOW
HOW TO HANDLE SITUATIONS BETTER.

CATHY: I THINK ONE OF
THE QUAKER PRINCIPLES

THAT HAS ALWAYS SPOKEN TO ME
IS SEEING THAT OF GOD IN OTHERS

AND BEING ABLE TO SEE
THAT OF GOD IN THESE KIDS

AND HELPING THEM TO SEE
THAT IN THEMSELVES.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S,
SORT OF, IN A NUTSHELL,

WHAT THE WHOLE POINT IS.

NARRATOR: ALSO SUPPORTED BY
CINCINNATI FRIENDS MEETING,

LUKE AND ANGELA EBNER
EXPRESS THEIR FAITH

THROUGH WORK WITH
INNER CITY YOUTH,

EXPOSING THEM TO ORGANIC
AND SUSTAINABLE GARDENING,

"PLANTING SEEDS OF HOPE."

LUKE: THE KIDS THAT WORK WITH US

GET TO LEARN HOW
TO PLANT PLANTS,

HARVEST, MARKET, COOK ORGANIC
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

THAT ARE ALL GROWN
RIGHT HERE.

I ALWAYS SAY WE'RE PLANTING
NOURISHING HABITATS

FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THIS IS A NOURISHING HABITAT
THAT I GET TO CULTIVATE

WITH THE YOUTH THAT
WE INTERACT WITH.

ROBERT: LIVING IN AN URBAN
COMMUNITY IT'S REALLY HARD

TO HAVE THAT TIME
OF MEDIATION AND PEACE

BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS
SO MUCH GOING ON.

AND THIS IS A HIGHLY
POPULATED AREA.

SO BEING IN A SECLUDED AREA
LIKE GARDENING,

IT BRINGS YOU A PEACE THAT
YOU NEVER EVEN KNEW EXISTED.

AND IT'S TRULY A BLESSING
TO BE ABLE TO GROW FOOD

AND TO JUST BE OUT BECAUSE
PUTTING YOUR HANDS AT WORK

AND REALLY ALLOW YOUR MIND
TO MEDITATE AND JUST FLOW

AND LOSING YOURSELF
WHILE BEING IN THE GRASS

OR TENDING TO THE
PLANTS OR WHATNOT

YOU REALLY GET THE
OPPORTUNITY TO THINK.

RASHAWN: LIFE OUTSIDE THE GARDEN
IS MUCH LIKE A CHALLENGE.

IT'S MUCH LIKE WORKING
AT THE GARDEN.

LIKE I SAID, PUTTING FORTH
EFFORT TO DO ANYTHING YOU WANT

TAKES PRACTICE, HARD WORK,
AND DEDICATION.

ROBERT: THERE WAS A TIME IN MY
LIFE WHEN I HAD NOWHERE TO GO.

AND I HAD TO COME TO THIS GARDEN
AND LUKE GAVE ME A JOB,

HE MADE SURE I HAD MONEY
IN MY POCKET,

HE MADE SURE IT WAS ENOUGH FOR
ME TO HELP SUPPORT MY FAMILY.

THIS GARDEN MEANS
EVERYTHING TO ME, TRULY.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT
EQUALITY WHILE WORKING HERE

AT THE ECO GARDEN IS THAT
WE ALL ARE IN THE SAME BOAT,

NO ONE IS BETTER THAN
NO ONE ELSE.

EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE
MIGHT HAVE BETTER CLOTHES

OR MIGHT HAVE A BETTER CAREER
OR BETTER OPTIONS

OR OPPORTUNITIES,
AT THE END OF THE DAY

WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS
WITH THE SAME FAULTS AND ISSUES.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ALL
AFRAID OF THE SAME THINGS.

SO TRULY THERE'S NO POINT IN
SEEING ANYONE ABOVE YOU

OR BELOW YOU,
THERE'S NO POINT OF INSECURITY

BECAUSE WE'RE ALL
IN THE SAME BOAT,

WE'RE ALL SCARED
OF THE SAME THING,

WE ALL SEEK THE SAME THING.

NARRATOR: PUBLIC FRIEND
AND MINISTER, DONNE HAYDEN,

BELIEVES THAT SEVERAL THINGS
PARTICULARLY ATTRACT PEOPLE

TO QUAKERISM: SOCIAL ACTIVISM

AND THE AFFIRMATION THAT THERE
IS "THAT OF GOD IN EVERYONE"

WHICH INCLUDES THE UNDERSTANDING

THAT ANYONE MAY BE LED
OR GUIDED BY GOD.

DONNE: WE ATTRACT PEOPLE
WHO ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED

AND SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS AND
COMMITTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE.

BUT THE OTHER KIND OF PERSON
IS A PERSON WHO IS TUNED IN

AND LISTENING AND CAN HEAR,

OR CAN BE LED AND SO FINDS
THEMSELVES AMONG OTHERS

WHO ARE OF SIMILAR LEADING.

JULIE: FOR ME, FOR MY FAMILY,
THAT COMPONENT OF EQUALITY

HAS BEEN A LARGE PIECE
OF WHAT HAS KEPT US HERE.

RACHEL: QUAKERISM HAS REALLY
HELPED US

FOCUS OURSELVES OUTWARDS,

BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE EFFECT
THAT IT HAS ON EVERYBODY ELSE

AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIETY

AND HELPING OTHERS.

JUDY: QUAKERS BELIEVE THAT EACH
OF US HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY

TO BECOME A MINISTER

AND TO MINISTER EACH
IN OUR OWN WAY TO THE COMMUNITY

AND TO THE WIDER WORLD AS WELL.

JEFF: MY ATTRACTION TO QUAKERISM
HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON THE SIDE

OF THE EXPERIENTIAL
APPROACH TO RELIGION,

THAT YOU HAVE AN
IMMEDIATE EXPERIENCE

OF THE PRESENCE
OF THE SPIRIT

AND OUT OF THAT GROWS YOUR
VALUES AND YOUR COMMITMENTS.

REBECCA: IT IS JUST DISCOVERING
THAT YOU CAN HAVE AN ACTUAL

ONE-ON-ONE RELATIONSHIP WITH
YOUR CREATOR AND THAT YOU CAN

KNOW THE JOY AND THE PEACE,

AND THE BEAUTY THAT GOD
CREATED US TO KNOW.

NARRATOR: THROUGH MORE THAN
THREE CENTURIES,

QUAKERS EVERYWHERE--
FAMOUS AND ANONYMOUS,

IN EAST COAST CITY
AND MIDWESTERN COUNTRYSIDE--

HAVE HEEDED GEORGE FOX'S
ADMONITION

TO "ANSWER THAT OF GOD
IN EVERYONE."

THOMAS: IF IT WERE PROPER
FOR QUAKERS TO BE PROUD,

I THINK WE'RE ENTITLED TO BE
PROUD FOR THE MANY WAYS

THAT WE'VE WORKED TO TRY TO
MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

AND PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON
PEOPLE WHO WERE MARGINALIZED

AND DISENFRANCHISED
BY THE LARGER SOCIETY.

AND I HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
WILL ALWAYS BE TRUE OF FRIENDS,

THAT WE WILL ALWAYS BE WILLING
TO BE COUNTER-CULTURAL,

NOT FOR THE SAKE OF BEING ODD

OR JUST FOR THE SAKE
OF BEING DIFFERENT,

BUT BECAUSE BY RUNNING
COUNTER TO THE LARGER CULTURE

AND ITS VALUES, WE ULTIMATELY
MOVE IT TOWARD BEING

A BETTER, MORE JUST,
MORE RADICALLY FAIR WORLD.