Bradley, Raymond H. Jr. Collection on marriage equality in Rhode Island, 1977-2013.

Description

Historical Note

Raymond H. Bradley Jr. (1929-2014) was born in Connecticut and grew up in the American Baptist Church. He served in the U.S. Army and attended Bangor Theological Seminary. He was ordained in July of 1958. He served West Bethel Congregational Church in Maine; Rangeley, Maine; Phillips, Maine; Andover Connecticut; and The Riverside Congregational Church in Rhode Island. After his retirement in 1997, he served as interim minister for Park Place Church UCC, Pawtucket RI; Barrington Congregational Church, Barrington RI; Woodridge Congregational Church, Cranston RI; The United Congregational Church of Westerly, Pawcatuck CT; and The First Congregational Church of Warwick, Oakland Beach RI. Bradley advocated and working towards human rights campaigns: mental health, racial equality and civil rights for the LGBT community. He wrote the first resolution for the United Church of Christ, inspired by the Presbyterian statement called "More Light". Bradley borrowed that title, which was eventually renamed Open and Affirming. He married Virginia Sally Brown and together they had two sons, Raymond H. Bradley III and Richard H. Bradley.

Scope of Collection

Materials include educational and resource material; essays and statement papers; news clippings; letters to legislators; and documents created by the religious community. Much of the collection constitutes resources, rather than material created by Bradley. Because of the grass-roots nature of gaining equal rights and marriage equality for the LGBT community, collections like these are left intact despite Bradley acting as collector rather than creator.

Further Searches

Subject Headings

Bradley, Raymond H., Jr.

United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns

Rhode Island State Council of Churches.

Gay rights-- Rhode Island.

Marriage--Government policy--United States.

Marriage--History--20th century.

Marriage--History--21st century.

Same-sex marriage--Law and legislation -- Rhode Island.

AIDS activists--United States

AIDS & society.

Related Materials

Robert Wood papers, 1920-2011 (MS4709)

United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns records, 1980s-2009 (RG4924)

Arrangement

Folders are arranged in alphabetical order. Whenever possible, the original order was kept, however, letters to legislators; essays and statement papers; and news clippings were consolidated.

Contents