Koinonia Community collection

Collection

Identifier: L1993-13

Staff Only
Not requestable

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Koinonia Community collection consists of printed material, 1952-1958. The items in the collection are a promotional pamphlet, 1952; a reprint of "Why We Are Withdrawing from the World," by Claud Nelson, Jr. (Motive magazine, March 1953); public memoranda, including writing by Wallace Nelson and Rev. Maurice McCrackin, and a reprint of a New York Herald Tribune article about violence and vandalism at the farm, 1957; and a newsletter, May 15, 1958.

Dates

Creation: 1952-1958

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research use.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Georgia State University is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research, subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. Georgia State University may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.

History of the Koinonia Community

The Koinonia Community (Americus, Ga.) was founded in 1942 as an interracial Christian community by Clarence and Florence Jordan and Martin and Mabel England, who intended to emulate the practices of the early Christian communities as described in the Acts of the Apostles. They envisioned a farming community that adhered to principals of racial equality, communal living, environmental conservation, and non-violence. Although Clarence Jordan was welcomed to preach at some Sumter County churches, other people in the area perceived the values of the Koinonia community as a threat to Georgia’s Jim Crow-defined social status quo. Especially during the Civil Rights era, the Koinonia community was victimized by terrorism and vandalism from the Ku Klux Klan and others. Residents responded with staunchly non-violent tactics and began to support themselves with the sale of nuts and baked goods. The community took the name Koinonia Farm (later, Koinonia Partners). By the late 1960s, Koinonia began an initiative to build housing for the poor that eventually developed into the non-profit Habitat for Humanity International. The farm was designated a Georgia Historic Site in 2005.

Extent

0.05 Linear Feet (in 1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract:

Koinonia Community (Americus, Ga.) was established in 1942 as a Christian-based farming community that adhered to principals of racial equality, communal living, environmental conservation, and non-violence. The collection consists of newsletters and memoranda, articles, and a pamphlet, 1952-1959. The printed material documents the community's goals and values and the violence and vandalism directed toward it during the Civil Rights Era.