A joint effort between Mennonite Central Committee U.S., the Center on Conscience & War, the American Friends Service Committee, the Church of the Brethren, and the Kansas Committee for a CPS Memorial has resulted in the launch of a new website dedicated to telling the story of conscientious objectors during World War II. The Civilian Public Service Story: Living Peace in a Time of War invites viewers to learn about the history of Civilian Public Service (CPS) and share stories about CPS experiences.
Here’s a bit more about the project:
This site tells the story of nearly 12,000 conscientious objectors to war who chose Civilian Public Service in World War II. At the heart of the site rest the names of those men, the communities from which they entered, and the camps in which they served.
The site features a database of names and a listing of the more than 150 camps which you can search to learn more about this effort to protect the rights of conscience during WWII.
While the site was launched on May 15, 2011, the 70th anniversary of the opening of the first CPS Camp in 1941, it remains under construction. We will continue to collect the personal stories of the men and women who served, and develop Part Four: The Story Continues, giving voice to those who today choose to live peace in time of continuous wars.
This site will be an invaluable resource to historians of all kinds, but especially to Brethren in Christ historians. You can visit the site here.