A Faith to Free the People
[Chicago]: People's Institute of Applied Religion, 1946. An uncommon edition of Cedric Belfrage’s biography of People’s Institute of Applied Religion founder Claude Williams. Belfrage first met Williams in Hollywood in 1938 when the latter was fundraising for his labor and civil rights work in the South. Belfrage’s biography developed out of their friendship and documents Williams’ indefatigable quest for social justice as a minister and organizer.
The book was first published in London in 1939 under the title, Let My People Go, with U.S. publishers universally rejecting it. It was finally published in 1941 by Modern Age Books as South of God, but failed to find an audience. It was expanded and republished in 1944 by the Dryden Press as A Faith to Free the People and then again in 1946 by Williams’ organization (this edition). All editions feature Virginia Donaldson’s woodcut illustration of Williams.
Trade paperback format, illustrated cover; frontispiece, ix, 295 p., [6] p. on PAIR following text. Edge wear, a few droplet stains to the front cover, a very good copy. No other copies of this edition currently in the trade, with only just over a dozen found in WorldCat institutions. Item #12891
Price: $175.00