Peace Action Education Fund is the educational arm of the Princeton, New Jersey-based Coalition for Peace Action, which is among dozens of state- and local-level affiliates of the left-of-center anti-war advocacy organization Peace Action, founded during the Cold War in opposition to nuclear proliferation. Peace Action has dozens of affiliates at the state and local levels throughout the United States, with among its most active affiliates including Peace Action New York State, Westchester People’s Action Coalition (WESPAC), and Massachusetts Peace Action, many of which also have education funds that conduct similar work to the Peace Action Education Fund. The education fund is affiliated with the Coalition for Peace Action and is a distinct organization from the Silver Spring, Maryland-based Peace Action Education Fund which is the educational arm of the national Peace Action organization. Issues of priority for the group include a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War, calling for drastic cuts to U.S. defense spending, and a ban on nuclear weapons. 1 2 3 4
History
The New Jersey-based Coalition for Peace Action and Peace Action Education Fund were granted tax-exempt status in 1982, making them among the oldest local affiliates of the national Peace Action organization. Both organizations are headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, and the Education Fund mostly conducts business as the Coalition for Peace Action, noting on its website that tax-deductible contributions should be made to the Peace Action Education Fund and mailed to the same address as the Coalition for Peace Action. The Education Fund and raises more funds for the organization than the coalition, with the education fund raising $123,000 in 2023 while the Coalition for Peace Action raised $83,000. 5 6 2 7
The national Peace Action organization was first formed in 1957 as the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, also known as SANE. SANE opposed U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, and in November 1965 organized the “largest antiwar demonstration up to that time.” 8 SANE supported Senator Eugene McCarthy’s (D-MN) 1968 presidential campaign, which centered around bringing an end to the Vietnam War. 8
SANE continued its activities throughout the 20th century and in 1987 became Peace Action when it merged with the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign, also known as FREEZE, an anti-nuclear testing group that was formed in 1979. SANE and FREEZE also had several local and state affiliates prior to the merger, including the Coalition for Peace Action. 8
The Coalition for Peace Action’s website lists a timeline of activity for the organization from 1981 to 2021, listing a variety of activities and campaigns the group has been a part of since the 1980s including nuclear disarmament campaigns and other anti-war protests. Since 2015, the group has engaged on other left-of-center issues, such as supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and launching environmentalist campaigns, often approaching such issues from an anti-war perspective. 2
Activities
The Coalition for Peace Action operates several campaigns, many of which are conducted by the Peace Action Education Fund, although the group generally does not distinguish which programs are operated by each arm of the organization. Projects the group leads or is involved in include the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Ribbon International, and Before You Enlist, a video program aimed at dissuading young men and women from enlisting in the military. 9
The group’s No Wars, No Warming campaign is an environmentalist effort of the group to link war to an increase in global warming. The group attended the New York City March to End Fossil Fuels, which was headlined by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). 10
The group also operates a Peace Economy campaign that calls to “Demilitarize US Foreign Policy and the Federal Budget!” 11
Leadership
The Coalition for Peace Action and Peace Action Education Fund have been led by executive director Robert (Bob) Moore since 1981. Moore is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and has worked part time as a pastor concurrent with his role leading the Coalition for Peace Action. 12
References
- “Peace Action.” Library of Congress Web Archive. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.loc.gov/item/lcwaN0002416/
- “Highlights of First 40 Years.” Coalition for Peace Action. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://www.peacecoalition.org/about/chronology.html
- “Home.” Coalition for Peace Action. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://www.peacecoalition.org/
- “Who We Are.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/who-we-are/
- “Coalition for Peace Action.” ProPublica. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/222372962
- “Peace Action Education Fund (NJ).” ProPublica. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/222402577
- “Contribute.” Coalition for Peace Action. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://www.peacecoalition.org/contribute.html
- “History.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/who-we-are/our-mission/history/
- “Projects.” Coalition for Peace Action. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://www.peacecoalition.org/news-events/projects.html
- “No Wars, No Warming.” Coalition for Peace Action. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://www.peacecoalition.org/campaigns/no-wars.html
- “Peace Economy.” Coalition for Peace Action. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://www.peacecoalition.org/campaigns/peace-economy.html
- “Rev. Robert Moore.” Coalition for Peace Action. Accessed December 16, 2024. https://www.peacecoalition.org/about/reverendrobertmoore.html