Final Project — History 2100 — Fall 2014

1. THE YOUNG MEN’S
CHRISTIAN
ASSOCIATION
Paul DiVitantonio

2. In the Beginning
• In 1844 The Young Mens
Christian Association or
(YMCA) was founded by
George Williams. He joined
together with 11 of his friends
and created a place for
young men seeking to
escape trouble and hazards
in the streets. This was
something new to the country
because it broke the English
social lines. This meaning
that anyone no matter what
social class could get help if
they needed it.
http://www.ymca.net/history/founding.html

3. In the Beginning cont.
• This was not only for the
Christian White man.
Black, Chinese, Japanese,
Jewish all created YMCAs
for sanctuaries for people
in need. This was
something very important
and very interesting. The
YMCA has done countless
things to help others. From
then all the way to now. Its
focus and values are
incredible then and even
now.
http://library.ndsu.edu/

4. In the Beginning cont.
• The YMCA set values first. Not only goals for people but
in their mission statement. “The YMCA had close ties to
the social purity movement, which rejected overt sexual
expression and practice.” Who Built America pg 87
• Not only this but they were an organization against the
saloons. They helped people get away from them and join
in something productive. This made way for a long history
of helping and caring for people in need.

5. What’s so great about the Y?
• Not only did the Y become
a sanctuary for people in
need, it expanded to fit the
needs of everyone. No
matter what people did
they always had a place to
go.
• In the 1900s which is the
time period I will be looking
at “Under a microscope”,
the Y created a number of
programs to help with the
War and the industrial
citizens.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/

6. Early 1900s
• The 1900s brought many changes to the Y. They created
a new department called the industrial department. This
helped with assisting immigrants, rail road workers and
miners.
• Also, with this turn of the century many more different
YMCAs were created or expanded, for example, 25 black
Y’s were created in 23 cities.

7. Black YMCAs
• This was created in 1853. In 1890 the national YMCA
office took a huge step and created a Colored Men’s
Department. (www.lib.umn.edu)
• Even though the color lines were still very clear the YMCA
was there to give a place to gather. They gave similar
programs like Bible study, moral and religious
improvement just like white YMCAs.

8. The YMCA and WWI
• In WWI the YMCA
provided morale and
welfare services for the
military. “By war’s end,
the YMCA, through the
United War Work
Council, had operated
1,500 canteens in the
United States and
France; set up 4,000
YMCA huts for
recreation and religious
services” (ymca.net) http://pw20c.mcmaster.ca
/

9. The YMCA and WWI cont.
• “the Y was an internationalist organization that pioneered
in the employment of indigenous personnel all over the
world.” Chen-Main Wang, Peter
• During WWI as well the Y gave many opportunities to
foreign immigrants to help with the war effort. The
Chinese immigrants were one of the bigger groups.
• The Chinese labor workers were hired by the British.

10. The YMCA and WWI cont.
• “By 1918… the British National Council of the YMCA.
opened work in thirty centers, though it had not received
formal permission.( n56) Its excellent performance in
adjusting disputes and strikes and in raising the morale of
the Chinese laborers attracted attention from the military
authorities.” Chen-Main Wang, Peter
• The YMCA was very important during the war, not only did
the British hire from the Y but the French did as well.
• The YMCA was like the United Nations today, they were
internationally based all around the world and helped
each country with labor or giving places for people to go.
It was very popular and effective.

11. YMCA after the War
• In 1926, YMCAs made a
commitment to families
when the parent-child
program Y-Indian Guides
began at the St. Louis
YMCA.
• The program was based
on the Native-American
family model and sought
to foster the
companionship of father
and son.
www.stlouis-mo.gov

12. Before WWII
• The YMCA took great approaches to helping teens and
young adults.
• They started programs in the 1930s to help them
understand government. Also to participate in team work
and character building
• Swimming teams and other sporting teams were
participated heavily by people that were members of
YMCAs.

13. Fun Fact!
• In 1950, YMCA
volunteer Joe Sobek
invented racquetball in
Greenwich, Conn., as
an alternative to
squash and handball.

14. Citation List (Turabian)
• Chen-Main Wang, Peter. "Caring Beyond National Borders: The
YMCA and Chinese Laborers in World War I Europe." EBSCO Host.
June 1, 2009. Accessed November 20, 2014.
http://ezproxy.wpunj.edu:4357/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=3b595d5
e-e6c5-44d5-b36c-c01ac850ef04@
sessionmgr4002&hid=4214&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhv
c3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=hia&AN=42635434.
• "A Brief History of the YMCA and African American Communities."
Home · University of Minnesota Libraries. January 1, 2010. Accessed
November 27, 2014. https://www.lib.umn.edu/ymca/guide-afam-history.
• "History - 1900 to 1950s." The Y:. January 1, 2014. Accessed
November 20, 2014. http://www.ymca.net/history/1900-1950s.html.
• Rosenzweig, Roy, Nelson Lichtenstein, Joshua Brown, and David
Jaffee. "Community and Conflict: Working People Respond to
Industrial Capitalism 1877-1893." In Who Built America, 87. Third ed.
Vol. II: 1877 to Present. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008.