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TABLE OF CONTENTSSearch this page Detailed Description of the Collection Series 2: Association of Catholic Trade Unionists (ACTU) Correspondence and Other Papers, 1937-1951 Series 3: The London Catholic Herald Correspondence, 1935-1948 Series 5: Catholic Interracial Council of Prince George's County (CIC) Records, 1964-1971 |
Norman C. McKennaAn inventory of Norman C. McKenna Papers at The American Catholic History Research Center and University ArchivesContact Information: Mailing Address: The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 20064 Telephone: 202-319-5065 Email: archives@mail.lib.cua.edu URL: http://libraries.cua.edu/achrcua/index.html
Biographical NoteNorman C. McKenna was born on April 1, 1910 in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Manhattan College in 1931. From 1932 to 1933 he served as Associate Editor of "Short Short Stories". From 1935 to 1938 he acted as Co-editor with R. Deverall on "Christian Front/Christian Social Action". He then served as a News Editor for Religious News Service from 1937 to 1938. Starting in 1937, Norman C. McKenna also worked as a Correspondent for the London Catholic Herald. He held this position until 1942. He concurrently acted as the Managing Editor from 1938 to 1941 of the publication "Labor Leader", published by the Association of Catholic Trade Unionists (ACTU). In 1941 he further acted as Editor of the "Buffalo Union Leader" publication. Starting in 1942, during World War II, Norman C. McKenna served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in West Africa, and was posted there until the end of the War in 1945. After his service, he went back to writing and editing. From 1945 to 1947 he held the post of Associate Editor of the "Wage Earner", another publication of the Association of Catholic Trade Unionists (ACTU). From 1947 to 1949 he worked in Detroit as part of the Editorial staff of ACTU's "Michigan Catholic" publication. From 1950 to 1953, Norman C. McKenna and his wife, Rita, served as Members of the Steering Committee on the Cana Conference of the Archdioceses of Washington, D.C. From 1952 to 1970 he then worked as a Writer and Editor as a Labor Specialist under the United States Information Agency (USIA). Then began a period in his life where he served several high-ranking positions in various organizations. From 1964 to 1967 he served as President of the Catholic Interracial Council (CIC) of Prince George's County. He was also a Member of the Executive Committee of the CIC from 1964 to 1971. From 1964 to 1969 he served as a Board Member on Prince George's Fair Housing (PGFH). He was then Chairman of the Community Relations Committee of the CIC from 1969 to 1973. Also during these years (1969-1973) he served as Vice President of the Hillcrest Heights Civic Association. Finally, from 1974 to 1976 he was a Board Member of the Prince George's Mental Health Association. As he served in these various organizations, Norman C. McKenna also continued to work as an Editor and a Writer. From 1970 to 1973 he served as Associate Editor of "The Enquirer-Gazette" of Upper Marlboro, Md. He was also a regular Contributor to the "Prince George's Journal" from 1975 to 1977. In 1973 he won the Brotherhood Award, presented to him by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Norman C. McKenna died on February 7, 1997 in Silver Spring, MD. Return to the Table of Contents Scope and ContentsThe Norman C. McKenna Papers span the years 1934 to 1971 and reflect his various roles as an editor, correspondent, and activist in the realm of Catholic social action, particularly in regard to international peace, labor movements, marriage counselling, and racial integration. They consist mainly of editorial correspondence, committee minutes, case histories, outlines, newspaper clippings and pamphlets. The Series 1 consists of editorial correspondence, position statements, and newspaper clippings and pamphlets from The Christian Front, a monthly magazine founded in January 1936 by co-editors Norman McKenna and Richard L. G. Deverall. Heavily influenced by Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum, it advocated reconstruction on Christian lines and opposed Marxism, Fascism, war, and laissez-faire Capitalism. Due to confusion with an anti-Semitic group of the same name, the magazine's title was changed to Christian Social Action in January of 1939. Although fragmentary and selective, correspondence includes such noted contributors and social thinkers as G. K. Chesterton, Catherine de Hueck, and Paul Hanley Furfey. The Series 2 entails correspondence, editorials, and programs relating to McKenna's various positions with the Association of Catholic Trade Unionists (ACTU), founded in New York City in 1937 to give practical effect to Catholic social teaching as it concerned working men at home, work, and in the community. It assisted non-union men to organize, staffed labor schools, compiled reports, and provided congressional testimony. It included professionals, trade unionist, and students. McKenna held various editorial positions with the ACTU publications, Labor Leader, Wage Earner, and the Michigan Catholic, before departing for Washington, D.C. to be a labor specialist for the U.S. Information Agency. The Series 3 consists of correspondence,with some scattered newspaper clippings, regarding the London Catholic Herald, primarily 1935 to 1942. McKenna was a North American contributor during this period and articles were sent in about once a week. Lengthy, in-depth articles were usually done at the request of the editor, Count Michael de la Bedoyer. The Herald was established in 1888 to reflect a moderate position between what they perceived as the extremes of the 'conservative' London Tablet and the 'liberal' Universe produced by the Jesuits. The Series 4 reflects activities of McKenna and his wife Rita, who served jointly on the Steering Committee of the Cana Conference of the Archdiocese of Washington, 1950 to 1953, and includes correspondence, outlines, and pamphlets. This movement originated from the Catholic family movement founded in St. Louis by Edward Dowling to assist the needs of Catholic couples. Its name was derived from Our Lady of Cana, wedding sight of Christ's first miracle, and its primary purpose was to use religious principles to integrate the mundane aspects of married life in an atmosphere of informality and in the light of the emerging Twentieth Century modernist mentality. The McKennas resigned in 1953 alluding to their perception that the clubs were elitist, racist, and discriminatory to childless couples. The final series, Series 5, consists of an Annual Report, Minutes, Correspondence, Newsletter, and an Essay Contest of the Catholic Interracial Council of Prince George's County founded by McKenna in 1964. This council, an outgrowth of the D.C. Interracial Council, was affiliated with the National Conference for Interracial Justice and took inspiration from Christ's teaching and the pronouncements of the Catholic hierarchy. It based its civic views upon the Constitution, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, US Supreme Court decisions, and Presidential Executive orders to seek equal opportunity and full integration in education, employment, housing, and commerce. McKenna served on the Executive Committee, 1964 to 1971, as President, 1964 to 1967, and as Chairman of the Community Relations Committee, 1967 to 1971. Also included in this series are case histories regarding integrated housing compiled by McKenna as a board member of Prince George's Fair Housing (PGFH) which was frequently represented by the CIC and McKenna until its demise in 1969. By 1971, Catholic interracial councils in general had become ineffective as they were unsupported by the ordinaries and increasingly bypassed by other community and government groups. Return to the Table of Contents ArrangementThe Norman C. McKenna Papers consists of five series: Return to the Table of Contents RestrictionsRestrictions on AccessThere are no access restrictions. Return to the Table of Contents Administrative InformationAcquisition InformationDonated in 1977 and 1996 by Norman C. McKenna. Processing InformationProcessing completed in 2000 and 2003 by William John Shepherd. EAD markup completed in May 2006 by Cathey Dugan and Jordan Patty. Return to the Table of Contents Related MaterialThe CUA Archives also contains: The Records of the Catholic Interracial Council of New York The John C. Cort Papers The Richard L. G. Deverall Papers The Paul Hanley Furfey and Mary Elizabeth Walsh Papers The George Gilmary Higgins Papers The Joseph Celestine Nuesse Papers Return to the Table of Contents Index TermsThis record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms. Persons:Chesterton, G. K. (Gilbert Keith), 1874-1936
Deverall, Richard L.-G. (Richard Lawrence-Grace), 1911-
Doherty, Catherine de Hueck, 1896-1985
Furfey, Paul Hanly, 1896-1992
Organizations:Association of Catholic Trade Unionists (ACTU)
Catholic Interracial Council of Prince George's County
Hillcrest Heights Civic Association
Prince George's Fair Housing (PGFH)
Prince George's Mental Health Association
Subjects:Catholic Church. Pope (1878-1903 : Leo XIII). Rerum novarum
Catholic Family Movement
Labor unions
Return to the Table of Contents Detailed Description of the Collection
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