Records of a pro-choice organization founded in 1973 as the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (RCAR), a project of the United Methodist Church, around 1994 renamed the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), and now a national coalition of 35 mainline Protestant, Jewish, and other faith groups working from the premise that to impose a pro-life agenda on the country would be a violation of religious freedom as guaranteed by the First Amendment. RCRC has four main programs. The Clergy for Choice Network consists of over 4000 representatives from more than 25 major religious denominations who primarily testify before Congress and state legislatures to counter anti-choice statements. Operation Respect consists of clergy and lay volunteers who provide protection to clinic clients from Operation Rescue attacks. Voices for Choice is RCRC's state affiliate action network for building support in congregations at the grassroots level and for providing visibility at rallies and marches. The Words of Choice Campaign challenges "manipulative" words and "distorted" images used by anti-choice groups and includes a publications program. RCRC's policies and programmatic activities are reflected in the administrative records which consist of Executive Director's files (program planning, budgets, recruitment of organizational members, Board relationships, major initiatives, and PR campaigns); State Affiliate Program files (reports, correspondence, program materials, conferences, and resources); Legislative Program files (letters to Congress, plans to create grassroots action, background information on issues, hearing transcripts); and Communications Program files (PR initiatives, newsletters, literature, press conferences, press releases, and Congressional briefings). Also included is information on other pro-choice groups as well as materials about anti-abortion groups; scattered photographs including demonstrations; audio and visual recordings covering the issue of abortion; and extensive information on the organization's reaction to the nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court.
