Clarence L. Jordan papers

Descriptive Summary
Title: Clarence L. Jordan papers
Creator: Jordan, Clarence
Inclusive Dates: 1920-1970
Language(s): English
Extent: 13.6 Linear Feet (32 document boxes, 1 half box, 3 oversized folders A, 3 oversized folders B)
Collection Number: ms756
Repository: Hargrett Library

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Collection Description

Historical Note

Clarence Jordan (1912-1969), a white Southern Baptist minister, cofounded Koinonia Farm in Sumter County and translated many New Testament books into the "Cotton Patch" versions, colloquial interpretations set in the American South. Jordan committed his ministry to racial reconciliation and economic justice. A gifted preacher and teacher, he was a popular and frequent speaker at progressive religious gatherings across the United States from the 1940s through the 1960s.

Koinonia was the Christian farm community that Jordan and his wife Florence co-founded in 1942. It is considered to be the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity, among other charities.

For more information, see the article Clarence Jordan (1912-1969) in the New Georgia Encyclopedia.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of letters, pictures, clippings, manuscripts, programs, printed materials, notes, file cards, and other materials concerning the life, career, and writings of the late Dr. Clarence Leonard Jordan, founder of Koinonia Farms, an agricultural missionary enterprise, and inter-racial community. The early letters, largely from Clarence Jordan to his mother, are most revealing as to the character of the man. The many clippings and printed materials about Clarence Jordan and Koinonia also give insight into the community life, and the programs indicate the wide demand for Dr. Jordan as a speaker. The collection also includes the manuscripts, both written and typed, with annotations and/or corrections and revisions of many of Dr. Jordan's writings, particularly the Cotton Patch versions of the Gospels.

The collection is arranged into folders but for the most part it has been described at container level.

Organization and Arrangement

Arranged into five series: Series 1. Correspondence; Series 2. Personal papers and manuscripts; Series 3. Koinonia; Series 4. General; and Series 5. Oversized material.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Clarence L. Jordan papers, ms756, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.

Finding Aid Publication

Finding aid prepared on: 2010 June 17.

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Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

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Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

Correspondence
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1	1	Correspondence , 1927
1	2	Correspondence , 1928
1	3	Correspondence , 1929
1	4	Correspondence , 1930
1	5	Correspondence , 1931
1	6	Correspondence , 1932
1	7	Correspondence , 1933
1	8	Correspondence , 1934
1	9	Correspondence , 1935
1	10	Correspondence , 1936
1	11	Correspondence , 1939 January -1940 December
			Includes letters regarding the "Baptist Fellowship Center" for Negroes, an initiative to form relationships with black Christians in Lousiville, KY, through a collaborative training institute. Also includes correspondence to and from individuals involved in the Southern Baptist Convention.
1	12	Correspondence , 1941 January - April
1	13	Correspondence , 1941 May - August
1	14	Correspondence , 1941 September - December
box	folder
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2	1	Correspondence , 1942 January - February
			correspondence includes mention of World War II or the "outbreak of the war"
2	2	Correspondence , 1942 March - July
			includes information about starting Koinonia Farm after WWII
2	3	Correspondence , 1942 August - December
2	4	Correspondence , 1943 January - April
2	5	Correspondence , 1943 May - September
2	6	Correspondence , 1943 October - December
2	7	Correspondence , 1944
2	8	Correspondence , 1945
2	9	Correspondence , 1946
2	10	Correspondence , 1947
2	11	Correspondence , 1948
2	12	Correspondence , 1949
2	13	Correspondence , 1950
2	14	Correspondence , 1951
2	15	Correspondence , 1952
2	16	Correspondence , 1953
box	folder
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3	1	Correspondence , 1954
3	2	Correspondence, 1955 January-February
3	3	Correspondence , 1955 March - August
			includes information within correspondence about desegregating churches and church related activities (Bible camps, VBS, etc.)
3	4	Correspondence , 1955 September - December
3	5	Correspondence , 1956 Janurary - February
3	6	Correspondence , 1956 March - May
			Includes Carol Smith letter concerning Fort Valley (HBCU) students visiting not yet integrated Mercer
			Includes letter from John Swomley concerning the Montgomery Bus Boycott and how white religious leaders should lend their support to Black pastors facing jail time for organizing the boycott
3	7	Correspondence , 1956 June - September
			Includes letters concerning an integrated summer camp at Koinonia Farm
3	8	Correspondence , 1956 October - November
3	9	Correspondence , 1956 December
			Includes letter to President Eisenhower from E.E. Opdyke regarding the financial situation at Koinonia Farm
box	folder
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4	1	Correspondence , 1957 January
			includes note from January 12th about Koinonia being mentioned in Philadelphia's African American newspapers
4	2	Correspondence , 1957 February
4	3	Correspondence , 1957 February II
4	4	Correspondence , 1957 March
4	5	Correspondence , 1957 March II
4	6	Correspondence , 1957 April
4	7	Correspondence , 1957 May
4	8	Correspondence , 1957 June
4	9	Correspondence , 1957 July
4	10	Correspondence , 1957 August
4	11	Correspondence , 1957 September
4	12	Correspondence , 1957 October
4	13	Correspondence , 1957 November
4	14	Correspondence , 1957 December
box	folder
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5	1	Correspondence , 1958 January - March
			Includes correspondence from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Dexter Avenue Baptist Church letterhead
			Includes correspondence from S. Ralph Harlow (NAACP)
5	2	Correspondence , 1958 April - October
			Includes correspondence from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
			Includes correspondence from S. Ralph Harlow (NAACP)
5	3	Correspondence , 1958 November - December
5	4	Correspondence , 1959 January - February
			includes correspondence discussing abolishing the death penalty
5	5	Correspondence , 1959 March - May
5	6	Correspondence , 1959 June - July
			includes correspondence discussing the role of segregation in the U.S. South
5	7	Correspondence , 1959 August - December
box	folder
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6	1	Correspondence , 1960 January - May
6	2	Correspondence , 1960 June - December
6	3	Correspondence , 1961 January - May
			Includes letters mentioning correspondence with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Vincent Harding
			Includes correspondence discussing local businesses and their discrimination against Koinonia Farms, mostly by banks and suppliers
			Includes correspondence with Eleanor Roosevelt in regards to supplier discrimination against Koinonia Farm
6	4	Correspondence , 1961 June - September
6	5	Correspondence , 1961 October - December
6	6	Correspondence , 1963
6	7	Correspondence , 1963 January - July
			Includes correspondence with William Porter, Thomas Murray, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
6	8	Correspondence , 1963 August - December
			Includes correspondence with the Highlander Center (currently the Highlander Research and Education Center) in TN.
6	9	Correspondence , 1964 January - May
			Includes correspondence from John Papworth during his stay in Albanay Jail, with additional correspondence concerning civil rights unrest in Albany, GA, with support from related landmark cases such as Edwards v South Carolina.
6	10	Correspondence , 1964 June - December
			Includes correspondence with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
6	11	Correspondence , 1965 January - May
6	12	Correspondence , 1965 June - December
box	folder
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7	1	Correspondence , 1966 January - May
7	2	Correspondence , 1966 June - December
7	3	Correspondence , 1967 January - June
			Includes correspondence from Koinonia Records regarding Clarence Jordan's narration of Biblical parables
7	4	Correspondence , 1967 July - December
7	5	Correspondence , 1968 January - May
7	6	Correspondence , 1968 June - August
7	7	Correspondence , 1968 September - December
box	folder
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8	1	Correspondence , 1969 January - May
			Includes correspondence from Vincent Harding of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library Project (an element of what would become known as the King Center in Atlanta).
			Includes correspondence from the office of Coretta Scott King announcing the establishment of the King Center in Atlanta
8	2	Correspondence , 1969 June - December
8	3	Correspondence , 1970
8	4	Correspondence , 1971
8	5	Correspondence , 1972
8	6	Correspondence , 1973
8	7	Correspondence , no date
8	8	Correspondence , no date
8	9	Correspondence , no date
			Includes correspondence from young men drafted to serve in the US military around the time of the Vietnam War
8	10	Correspondence , no date

 

Personal Papers and Manuscripts

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9

Biographical Note ( 7 folder(s) )

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10

Speaking Engagements (programs, schedules, etc.), (1940-1963) ( 18 folder(s) )

box

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11

Cotton Patch Gospels ( 21 folder(s) )

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12

Cotton Patch Gospels ( 12 folder(s) )

box

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13

Lessons ( 31 folder(s) )

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14

Lessons ( 18 folder(s) )

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15

Printed material by and about Clarence Jordan ( 8 folder(s) )

15

Printed material by Jan Jordan ( 8 folder(s) )

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16

Notes ( 6 folder(s) )

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17

School and camp notebook kept by Clarence Jordan, (1920's-1950's) ( 7 folder(s) )

box

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18

School Textbooks

18

Diary, (1943)

18

Report to the People Script, (1956)

18

Speech by Dallas Lee

 

Koinonia

box

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19

General Information

19

Newsletters

box

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19B

New Jersey

19B

Camp

19B

Printed Material

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folder

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20

1

Accounts

20

2

Insurance

20

3

Legal Documents

20

4

Guest Lists

20

5

Mailing Lists

box

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21

Pictures

21

Scrapbooks

 

General

box

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22

Intentional Communities ( 21 folder(s) )

box

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23

Non-violence ( 7 folder(s) )

box

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24

Race Relations/Civil Rights

24

Human Relations

24

Economics

box

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25

Misc. Writings not by Clarence Jordan ( 8 folder(s) )

box

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26

Printed Material (misc.) ( 7 folder(s) )

box

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27

Printed Material (misc.) ( 7 folder(s) )

box

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28

Newspaper Clippings, (1929-1964) ( 25 folder(s) )

box

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29

Newspaper Clippings, (1965-1974) (n.d.) ( 13 folder(s) )

box

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30

Misc. ( 18 folder(s) )

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31

Duplicates (Printed) ( 5 folder(s) )

box

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32

Duplicates ( 7 folder(s) )

 

Oversized material

oversized_folder

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1A

2 sketches of Jordan

oversized_folder

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2A

2 photographs with truck, train

oversized_folder

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3B

Blowup image of Jordan (1 of 2)

oversized_folder

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4B

Blowup image of Jordan (2 of 2)

oversized_folder

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5B

Misc. posters, district map

oversized_folder

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6A

2 vinyl records of Clarence Jordan lectures- The Great Banquet and Metamorphosis