The New World Foundation is a liberal
foundation
Foundation may refer to:
* Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization
** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S.
** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...
, based in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
.
It supports organizations that work on behalf of civil rights and that seek to encourage participation of citizens in American democracy. It was founded in 1954 by
Anita McCormick Blaine Anita Eugenie McCormick Blaine (1866-1954) was an American philanthropist and political activist. An heir to the McCormick Reaping Machine Works fortune built by her father, Cyrus McCormick (1809–1884), Blaine funded the launch of Chicago's Franci ...
, a prominent member of the
McCormick family
The McCormick family of Chicago and Virginia is an American family of Scottish and Scotch-Irish descent that attained prominence and fortune starting with the invention of the McCormick Reaper, a machine that revolutionized agriculture, helped b ...
and an heiress to industrialist
Cyrus Hall McCormick
Cyrus Hall McCormick (February 15, 1809 – May 13, 1884) was an American inventor and businessman who founded the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which later became part of the International Harvester Company in 1902. Originally from the ...
and a supporter of
Henry Wallace's 1948 presidential campaign. Its initial funding of about $20 million
was noted for progress towards education, ethics, peace, and public health.
In its
mission statement
A mission statement is a short statement of why an organization exists, what its overall goal is, the goal of its operations: what kind of product or service it provides, its primary customers or market, and its geographical region of operation ...
, the New World Foundation stated as of 2009:
We see the strengths of progressive ideals and committed activists, who every day are inventing democracy and extending its boundaries. But we also know the strength of reaction, inaction, and injustice in blocking democracy’s advance. Our work and our tradition is to tip the balance, to add resources to the side of justice, to widen the channels for participation, and to ensure that another generation will see by example how they can make a difference.
During the early 1960s, the New World Foundation's goal was to aid education and promote better intergroup and international relations. During the early 1970s, the Foundation supported various
civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
and community projects.
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
, whom
Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman (born June 6, 1939) is an American activist for civil rights and children's rights. She is the founder and president emerita of the Children's Defense Fund. She influenced leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Hillary ...
had mentored, was on the board from 1982 to 1988, and was its chair for some of that time, including 1987.
During that time, the Foundation gave money to a variety of organizations active in civil rights and other
New Left
The New Left was a broad political movement mainly in the 1960s and 1970s consisting of activists in the Western world who campaigned for a broad range of social issues such as civil and political rights, environmentalism, feminism, gay rights, g ...
causes, including the
Christic Institute
The Christic Institute was a public interest law firm founded in 1980 by Daniel Sheehan, his wife Sara Nelson, and their partner, William J. Davis, a Jesuit priest, after the successful conclusion of their work on the ''Silkwood'' case. Based on ...
, Grassroots International,
Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, based in Washington, D.C., is a national activist organization with chapters in various cities in the United States. CISPES supports the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) a ...
(CISPES),
FAIR
A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks.
Types
Variations of fairs incl ...
, and the
National Lawyers Guild
The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is a progressive public interest association of lawyers, law students, paralegals, jailhouse lawyers, law collective members, and other activist legal workers, in the United States. The group was founded in 193 ...
.
[AIM (Accuracy in Media) Report, 2003 Report #15 http://www.aim.org/publications/aim_report/2003/15.html] By the early 1990s, the foundation was giving money to a
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical areas San Mateo County ...
group fighting consequences of computer industry toxins,
[ p. 145.] all the while undergoing criticism for being invested in the likes of
Louisiana Pacific
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, commonly known as "LP", is an American building materials manufacturer. It was founded in 1973 and is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. LP pioneered the U.S. production of oriented strand board (OSB) panels. ...
,
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine given ...
, and
Philip Morris.
See also
*
Lewis G. Morris House, also known as the New World Foundation Building
References
{{reflist
External links
Official website
Non-profit organizations based in New York (state)
Organizations established in 1954