Guide to the Matthew Walker Clair, Jr. Papers
Prepared by Morris Davis, Manuscript Processor and Mark C. Shenise, Associate Archivist
United Methodist Archives and History Center
General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church
2/13/2002
Overview of Collection
Biographical Note
Matthew Walker Clair, Jr. (1890-1968) was a Methodist Church bishop. He received his B.A. from Howard University in 1915,
a bachelor of sacred theology from Boston University in 1918, and a doctor of divinity from Gammon Seminary in 1936.
Clair's first appointment was to Bedford, Virginia in 1918, and this was followed by appointments in Martinsburg, West Virginia,
in 1919; Roanoke, Virginia, in 1920; Daytona Beach, Florida (1924-1925); and Denver, Colorado (1925-1928). In 1929 he was
appointed to the Board of Home Missions. Clair was professor of Practical Theology at Gammon Theological Seminary from 1936
until 1940, when he became pastor at St. Mark Church in Chicago.
During World War I Clair served as a United States Army chaplain. Elected to the episcopacy by the Central Jurisdictional
Conference in 1952, he was sent by the Council of Bishops to review and appraise Methodist work in several parts of the world.
He visited Africa in 1954, Singapore in 1956, Central and South America in 1958, and Europe in 1961
Clair was a member of several church wide organizations. He also served as president of the Board of Trustees of Philander
Smith College. In 1964, after eight years as the bishop in charge of the work of the Central Jurisdiction, Clair retired.
Scope Note
This collection pertains mostly to Clair's service as Bishop of the Central Jurisdiction. Most of the collection consists
of correspondence, incoming and outgoing, pertaining to conferences and specific churches within the Central Jurisdiction,
reports and minutes. Some of the outgoing correspondence was written by Clair's secretary while the Clairs were traveling
in 1961. There also are many copies of correspondence neither to, nor from Clair.
While most of the materials were produced during Clair's his years as bishop, there are a few pieces that date form the 1920's,
'30's, and '40's. There is material pertaining to the controversy over the realignment and desegregation of the Central Jurisdiction.
The printed matter in the collection includes annual conferences bulletins, books and pamphlets on race issues, and communism
in the Methodist Church.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
Series: Central West Conference
subseries: Correspondence
subseries: Minutes, Reports, Supporting Documents
Series: College of Bishops
Series: Correspondence to and from Individuals
Series: Council of Bishops
Series: General Files
Series: Lexington Conference
subseries: Correspondence
subseries: Minutes, Reports, Supporting Documents
Series: Local Churches
Series: Photographs
Series: Printed Matter
Series: Southwest Conference
Preferred Citation
When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder,
Matthew Walker Clair, Jr., Papers, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the item's
call number as that is not a stable descriptor.
Access Restrictions
One personnel file in the collection is closed until 2035.
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Subject Terms
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Additional Creators - Personal |
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Sonnenday, Margaret. |
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Additional Creators - Corporate |
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United Women of Missouri. |
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Subject Names - Corporate |
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Methodist Church (U.S.). Central Jurisdiction |
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Methodist Church (U.S.). General Conference |
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Subject Topics |
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African American Methodists |
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African Americans |
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Race relations-Religious aspects. |
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Genre |
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Clippings |
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Correspondence |
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Financial records |
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Minutes |
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Pamphlets. |
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Photographs |
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Publications |
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Reports |
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Occupations |
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Bishop. |
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Minister |
Series: Central West Conference
Sub-series: Correspondence
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
6
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From Clair |
1961-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
7
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From Clair |
1961-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
8
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To Clair |
1961-1962 |
| 1585-5-1:
9
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To Clair |
1962-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
10
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General |
1961-1964 |
Sub-series: Minutes, Reports, Supporting Documents
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
1
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Board of Trustees |
1955-1960 |
| 1585-5-1:
3
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Cabinet |
1958-1962 |
| 1585-5-1:
4
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Cabinet |
1962-1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
5
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Cabinet |
1963-1964 |
| 1585-5-3:
6
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Reports, minutes |
1956-1963 |
| 1585-5-3:
7
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Reports, minutes |
1963-1964 |
| 1585-5-3:
8
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Reports, minutes |
1957-1964 |
Series: College of Bishops
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
39
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Mexico City Meeting |
1962-1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
40
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Correspondence, supporting documents |
1961-1963 |
Series: Correspondence to and from Individuals
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
32
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A. W. Davis |
1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
33
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D. R. Fletcher |
1961-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
34
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Thomas Hancock |
1949-1961 |
| 1585-5-1:
35
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P. D. Pembroke |
1958-1962 |
| 1585-5-1:
36
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General Correspondence |
1962-1963 |
Series: Council of Bishops
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
37
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Correspondence |
1962-1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
38
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Reports, minutes, supporting documents |
1960-1964 |
Series: General Files
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-2:
1
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World Service Fund Reports |
1960-1964 |
| 1585-5-2:
2
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Committee of Five |
1961-1963 |
| 1585-5-2:
3
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Invitations: includes correspondence |
1957-1964 |
| 1585-5-2:
4
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Travel |
1961-1963 |
| 1585-5-2:
5
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Long Range Planning Committee; reports, printed matter |
1957-1965 |
| 1585-5-2:
6
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Missouri Council of Churches: Correspondence, reports, minutes |
1962-1965 |
| 1585-5-2:
7
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Ministerial transfers |
1962-1964 |
| 1585-5-2:
8
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Correspondence from abroad; includes letters from Clair's wife, Ethel, and Clair's secretary |
1961 |
| 1585-5-2:
9
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Pastor's School: minutes, correspondence, brochure |
1962-1963 |
| 1585-5-2:
10
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Miscellaneous sermons |
1944-1964 |
| 1585-5-2:
12
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Miscellaneous reports |
1962-1964 |
Series: Lexington Conference
Sub-series: Correspondence
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
11
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General |
1961-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
12
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From Clair |
1961-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
13
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From Clair |
1961-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
14
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To Clair |
1961-1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
15
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To Clair |
1963-1964 |
Sub-series: Minutes, Reports, Supporting Documents
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
16
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Cabinet |
1953-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
17
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Cabinet |
1961-1962 |
| 1585-5-1:
18
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Cabinet |
1961-1962 |
| 1585-5-1:
19
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Cabinet |
1962-1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
20
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Cabinet |
1963-1964 |
Series: Local Churches
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
23
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Fort Wayne, Indiana |
1952-1962 |
| 1585-5-1:
24
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Bethel Church |
1956-1965 |
| 1585-5-1:
25
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St. Louis Churches |
1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
26
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Calvary Church, Cincinnati, Ohio |
1961-1962 |
| 1585-5-1:
27
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Grace Church, Springfield, Illinois |
1958-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
28
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Saulters Church, Terre Haute, Indiana |
1958-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
29
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Wesley Chapel, St. Louis, Missouri |
1963-1964 |
| 1585-5-1:
30
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Whitely Church, Muncie, Indiana |
1962-1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
31
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York Street Church, Cincinnati, Ohio |
1962-1963 |
Series: Photographs
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-3:
9
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Various; Pastor's School, Pembroke, and Philander Smith; others unidentified |
1935-1936 |
Series: Printed Matter
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-2:
13
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Publications |
1921-1934 |
| 1585-5-3:
1
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Publications |
1939-1944 |
| 1585-5-3:
2
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Publications |
1945-1947 |
| 1585-5-3:
3
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Publications |
1948-1950 |
| 1585-5-3:
4
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Publications |
1952-1964 |
Series: Southwest Conference
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1585-5-1:
21
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Correspondence |
1962-1963 |
| 1585-5-1:
22
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Minutes, reports, supporting documents, and some printed material |
1962-1963 |
