Morford, Richard, 1983-1986

Reverend Richard Morford (1903-1986) was born in Oneway, Michigan and graduated from Albion College. He prepared for the Presbyterian ministry at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He was the minister of a Presbyterian Church in Morristown, New Jersey and organized the Albany Area Council of Churches. From 1942-1945 he was the Washington lobbyist of the United Christian Council for Democracy, a federation of the social action agencies of four Presbyterian denominations. On January 1, 1946 he became Executive Director of the National Council of American-Soviet Friendship. Just before he assumed the position in November 1945, the Council was served a subpoena to submit its membership and financial records to the House of Un-American Committee. Morford accepted service of the subpoena, but refused to turn over the records. After legal proceedings which ended at the Supreme Court, he served three months for contempt of Congress. In April, 1953, the Subversive Activities Control Board found the Council to be a Communist Front organization. Morford carried the issue to the Circuit Court where in May 1963, a unanimous finding overturning the SACB finding was handed down. In March 1974, he was awarded the Medal of Friendship of the Peoples by the USSR Supreme Soviet and traveled to the Soviet Union on several occasions after 1959.

From the guide to the Richard Morford Biographical Manuscripts, 1981-1986, (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)