1968-1969 Biafran Relief Efforts
[chronological order]
Summary of the activities of the American Jewish Emergency Effort for Biafran Relief. (
July 1968 - July 1969)
Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum, director of interreligious affairs, to AJC President Morris B. Abram regarding the Catholic Relief Services' interest in Jewish involvement in Biafran relief efforts. (
July 18, 1968)
Memorandum on Biafran issues and background information to be discussed at upcoming meeting with Jewish organizational leaders. (
July 22, 1968)
Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum, director, Interreligious Affairs Department, to Msgr. Andrew Landi of Catholic Relief Services. (
July 24, 1968)
Memorandum to the participants in the American Jewish Emergency Effort for Biafran Relief. (
July 29, 1968)
Minutes of "Consultation on Human Rights Questions in Nigerian-Biafran Struggle ." (
July 31, 1968)
Text of telegram to President Lyndon Johnson urging a massive airlift effort for Biafra. Signatories include AJC President Morris B. Abram, Bishop John Dougherty, Bayard Rustin, Bishop Edward E. Swanstrom, and others. (
Aug. 2, 1968)
Press release on U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk's meeting with a group of officials from the country's leading religious, interracial and humanitarian agencies. (
Aug. 6, 1968)
U.S. Department of State to AJC President Morris B. Abram. Letter concerns U.S. Government relief efforts. (
Aug. 7, 1968)
Letter to AJC members requesting donations for Biafran relief. Attached is the American Jewish Emergency Effort for Biafran Relief advertisement that ran first in the New York Times and subsequently in other American papers. (
Aug. 14, 1968)
Memorandum regarding two AJC donations, one to Catholic Relief Services, and the second to Church World Service. (
Sep. 12, 1968)
Statement by Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum, AJC director of interreligious affairs, delivered at a protest against genocide, at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, NYC. The protest was sponsored by the American Committee to Keep Biafra Alive. (
Sep. 14, 1968)
Interim report on the collection and allocation of monies for Biafran relief sent to participants in the American Jewish Emergency Effort for Biafran Relief. (
Sep. 26, 1968)
Catholic Relief Service's acknowledgment and thanks for AJC's $20,000 donation. (
Sep. 26, 1968)
"Statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Concerning Relief Assistance in Nigeria and the Former Eastern Regions Known as Biafra," James MacCracken, executive director of Church World Service. (
Oct. 4, 1968)
"Statement of Hyman Bookbinder, Washington Representative of the American Jewish Committee, Before the African Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. (
Oct. 4, 1968)
"Jewish Aid to Biafra: A History-Making Event," address delivered by Monsignor John Oesterreicher, NYC. (
Oct. 12, 1968)
U.S. Department of State in a letter to Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum, director interreligious affairs, explains that it cannot comply with requests that two Hercules aircraft be made available for an airlift. (
Oct. 24, 1968)
Speech by Rabbi A. James Rudin, AJC assistant director of interreligious affairs, delivered at Biafra interfaith rally at St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York. (
Oct. 26, 1968)
Request from Catholic Relief Service to U.S. State Department that Hercules aircraft be made available for airlift efforts. State Department reply is attached. (
Oct. 30, 1968)
Two memoranda regarding leasing of aircraft for airlift relief efforts. (
Nov. 14, 1968)
Press release on the first joint Jewish-Catholic-Protestant direct chartered airlift for Biafran children. (
Dec. 15, 1968)
Joint Church Aid- U.S.A. Progress Report and Financial Statement. Cover letter is attached. (
July 31, 1969)
Correspondence from Joint Church Aid-U.S.A. to AJC Executive Vice President Bert Gold regarding the crash of a relief flight. (
September-October 1969)
Press release on Jewish efforts on behalf of Nigerian-Biafran relief. (
Oct. 12, 1969)
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