Peace Action Education Fund is the educational nonprofit arm of the left-of-center anti-war advocacy organization Peace Action, founded during the Cold War in opposition to nuclear proliferation. Originally called SANE/FREEZE and formed by the merger of the Committee for a SANE Nuclear Policy and the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign, Peace Action has dozens of affiliates at the state and local level throughout the United States, with among its most active affiliates being Peace Action New York State and Massachusetts Peace Action. Many of its affiliates also have education funds that conduct similar work to the Peace Action Education Fund. The national Peace Action organization is organized as a nonprofit advocacy and lobbying organization and Peace Action Education Fund is the group’s educational arm. Priority issues as of 2024 include calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and calling for drastic cuts to U.S. defense spending. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

History

Peace Action was first formed in 1957 as National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, better known as SANE, headed by prominent peace activists Norman Cousins and Clarence Pickett.  SANE was a prominent activist group in the 1960s, holding a rally at Madison Square Garden and working with Hollywood figures; former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt; civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr.; and philosophers Albert Schweitzer and Bertrand Russell. ³

SANE also opposed U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, and in November 1965 organized the “largest antiwar demonstration up to that time.” SANE supported the 1968 presidential campaign of left-wing Senator Eugene McCarthy (D-MN), which centered around bringing an end to the Vietnam War. ³

SANE continued its activities throughout the 20th century and in 1987 became Peace Action which it merged with the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign, also known as FREEZE, an anti-nuclear testing group that was formed in 1979. ³

Peace Action Education Fund was formed around the same time as Peace Action following the SANE/FREEZE merger, gaining its tax-exempt status in 1989. ⁶

Activities

Peace Action operates several campaigns promoting left-of-center and far-left anti-war policies on military involvement and nuclear disarmament. ⁴ The Peace Action Education Fund mostly exists to solicit tax-deductible contributions to further the goals of the organization. It operates the Student Peace Action Network and conducts other activities including media, public education, and advocacy. ⁷

The group supports a “global abolition of nuclear weapons, stating that “The U.S. must lead the way to a safer world by working towards the complete abolition of nuclear weapons, and taking steps to reduce the threat of nuclear war in the meantime. Important steps include taking our weapons off hair trigger alert, halting our research and development of new nuclear weapons, and protecting treaties in place to prevent further proliferation of nuclear weapons” and “pursue new diplomatic efforts with countries like Russia, China, and North Korea.” ⁴

The group has also been critical of Israel and called for a ceasefire in Gaza, with a statement on their website reading, “The shocking, horrific attacks by Hamas on Israel sparked a paroxysm of astonishing violence by Israel against not only Hamas but the people of Gaza, with tens of thousands killed in a matter of months, mainly women and children.” ⁸

Peace Action also supports cuts to military budgets, stating that “massive military budgets eat up funding for critical programs here at home, which takes an overwhelming toll on communities of color and marginalized groups.” ⁹

1. “Peace Action.” Library of Congress Web Archive. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.loc.gov/item/lcwaN0002416/
2. “Home.” Peace Action New York State. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.panys.org/
3. “History.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/who-we-are/our-mission/history/
4. “Who We Are.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/who-we-are/
5. “2024 Endorsements.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/2024endorsements/
6. “Peace Action Education Fund EIN 52-1554826.” ProPublica. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521554826
7. “Who We Are.” Peace Action Education Fund. Accessed November 10, 2024.  https://www.peaceactioneducationfund.org/who-we-are/
8. “Gaza Ceasefire Now.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/what-we-do/campaigns/gaza-ceasefire-now/
9. “Pentagon Spending.” Peace Action. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.peaceaction.org/what-we-do/campaigns/pentagon-spending/