William L. Wipfler papers, 1890-2018, bulk 1964-1994

Navigate the Collection

Using These Materials Teaser

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials


Restrictions:
Access note. Collection contains electronic records that require special equipment. Contact Research Services with questions. Access note. Collection contains fragile audiovisual formats that may...
More about accessing and using these materials...

Summary

Creator:
Wipfler, William Louis and Human Rights Archive (Duke University)
Abstract:
William L. Wipfler (1931-2018) was an Episcopal priest and human rights advocate. The William L. Wipfler papers span 1890 to 2018, with emphasis on the period between 1964 and 1994, and consist of materials produced or collected in the course of Wipfler's career as a priest, missionary, and human rights advocate. Much of the collection stems from Wipfler's tenure at the National Council of Churches (NCC) and reflects ecumenical efforts to bring attention to political repression throughout Latin America, and includes: documents, serials, and bound volumes as well as some audiovisual materials created by the NCC and other organizations; writings and presentations by Wipfler; correspondence addressed to him; and a small number of photographs. Publications, documents, and presentations connected to Wipfler's graduate studies and to his missionary, pastoral, and broader advocacy work are also present.
Extent:
15 Linear Feet
5.3 Gigabytes
Language:
Materials in English and Spanish. A small quantity of materials in Portuguese is also present.
Collection ID:
RL.13098

Background

Scope and content:

The William L. Wipfler papers span 1890 to 2018, with emphasis on the period between 1964 and 1994, and consist of materials produced or collected in the course of Wipfler's career as a priest, missionary, and human rights advocate. A large proportion of the collection stems from Wipfler's tenure at the National Council of Churches (NCC) and reflects ecumenical efforts to bring attention to the repressive practices of US-backed military regimes throughout Latin America, chiefly in Central America, the Southern Cone, and Brazil. This includes: varied documents, serials, and bound volumes as well as some audiovisual materials created by the NCC, the World Council of Churches (WCC), their ecumenical affiliates in Latin America, and precursor organizations to the Washington Office on Latin America; writings and presentations by Wipfler; correspondence addressed to him; and a small number of photographs. Publications, documents, and presentations connected to Wipfler's graduate studies and to his missionary, pastoral, and advocacy work in the Episcopal Church and the Office of the Anglican Observer are also present.

Many documents contained in the collection were received as loose papers, or in unlabeled folders and binders. Most folder titles were devised by archivist, while a small number of original folder titles appear in quotation marks.

Materials originally contained in binders are designated as such in folder titles, and represent aspects of Wipfler's career in a manner likely determined by Wipfler himself or spouse Pauline Wipfler.

Biographical / historical:

William (Bill) L. Wipfler (1931-2018) was an Episcopal priest and human rights advocate critical of the National Security Doctrine promoted by the United States and implemented by repressive military regimes throughout Latin America from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Wipfler was ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1955, the same year he completed a Bachelor of Theological Studies in Church History at the General Theological Seminary in New York City and commenced work as an Episcopal Missionary, first in La Romana, Dominican Republic (1955-1963) and then in San Jose, Costa Rica (1964-1966). Wipfler's time in the Dominican Republic coincided with the final years of the military dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, who ruled from 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. This context informed Wipflers' subsequent political engagement and his graduate research on Dominican church history, which culminated in a Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary (1978).

After concluding his missionary assignments, in 1967 Wipfler assumed the role of Director of the Latin America Department at the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC or NCCCUSA), an ecumenical organization dedicated to generally progressive social causes. In this role Wipfler liaised with ecumenical organizations spanning the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and participated in a series of collaborative efforts focused on state repression in Brazil and Chile that led to the establishment of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) in 1974. In 1977, he became the founding director of the NCC's Human Rights Office, focusing largely on issues of political violence and repression in El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama. In March, 1980, Wipfler was in El Salvador with an ecumenical delegation in support of Salvadoran human rights activist Archbishop Óscar Romero when Romero was assassinated; proximity to this event led Wipfler to provide testimony during the prosecution of Romero's killer by a US District Court in 2004 and to attend Romero's beatification in 2015.

After resigning from the NCC in 1988, Wipfler served as Deputy to the Executive for World Mission Office in the Episcopal Church (1989-1991) and then as Associate for Human Rights at the Office of the Anglican Observer at the United Nations (1992-1994). In retirement, Wipfler assumed a pastoral role at St. Matthias Church in East Aurora, NY and remained involved in human rights advocacy through speaking engagements and service on selection committees for the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award, of which he was a 1980 recipient.

Acquisition information:
The William L. Wipfler papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2019 and 2020.
Processing information:

Processed by Will Runyan, November, 2024

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2019-0115; 2020-0015

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials


Restrictions:

Access note. Collection contains electronic records that require special equipment. Contact Research Services with questions.

Access note. Collection contains fragile audiovisual formats that may need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the Rubenstein Library's Citations, Permissions, and Copyright guide.

Before you visit:
Please consult our up-to-date information for visitors page, as our services and guidelines periodically change.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], William L. Wipfler papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.