Collection

Creech, Jimmy Papers

Span Dates: 1972-2014
Bulk Dates:
Volume: 16.5 linear feet and 30 audio recordings

Description

Organized into three series, Church Life, Activist Work, and Writings, the Jimmy Creech papers (12,375 items) contain correspondence, notes, research files, printed material, ephemera, clippings and articles, and audio recordings from Creech's time as a United Methodist minister and LGBT rights activist. The papers span 1981-2014, with a bulk of the collection covering the 1990s during which time he was a United Methodist minister in North Carolina, the Program Associate for the North Carolina Council of Churches, and eventually became the senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Omaha, Nebraska. A bulk of the Church Life series covers the two church trials brought against Creech in 1998 and 1999 by The United Methodist Church for his conducting covenant ceremonies for same-sex couples. Much of this series consists of correspondence received by Creech from his supporters and opponents during these trials. The Activist Work series holds files from Creech's advocacy for civil and human rights, especially for members of the LGBT community. Activist Work series documents Creech’s speaking engagements and attendance at conferences across the country in support of LGBT rights. This series also contains files from Creech's work against the death penalty, including correspondence with death row inmates in the 1990s. A part of the Activist Work series, The RRNGLE (Raleigh Religious Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality) subseries contains materials created and given to Creech by RRNGLE member Patricia Long. Creech was co-founder and chairperson of RRNGLE, an ecumenical group designed to publicly challenge religious antigay rhetoric. Long’s files include interviews with RRNGLE members and documents pertaining to her efforts to publish a book on the organization. Original audiovisual material and electronic records are also included in the collection.

Hist/Bio Note

See his biography in the Profiles Gallery at the following address.
https://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=21

Finding Aid

A finding aid is available online.
https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/findingaids/creechjimmy/

Location

This collection is held at the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University.
https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/

Tags

Methodist (UMC, United Methodist Church) | Creech, Jimmy | Raleigh Religious Network for Lesbian & Gay Equality | Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) | Activist (religious institutions) | Church Trials | Marriage Equality | Nebraska | North Carolina