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The history of Quakerism
The Religious Society Of Friends can be dated back in the 17th century as a movement beginning in England by George Fox. These individuals believed that every man carried God within him, therefore anyone had direct contact with God. Although not so controversial today, in the 1800s, this was a frowned upon idea. Largely because in early christain European culture, it was then believed that in order to access God and truly reach salvation, people had to talk to Church authorities such as the Pope and the Priest and follow their word/advice. So, the claim that God is naturally within every man clashed with the belief that church authority is what ultimately helps people closer to God. This is also why other religious movements, such as the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther caused such drama between people and the church. Both porgressive ideas led to prosecutions of those who held conservative Christain ideas. But despite trouble back home, the Quakers took a global stage as it spread to the Americas and Africa, thanks to Friends such as William Penn, who founded the colony of Pennsylvania. From there the religion quickly grew in number, power and influence with missions to create justice, peace and equality for man. One notable, committed believer, Clarence E. Pickett, would become the most profound influential leaders of the Quaker Society to not only the faith but the world.

Background and education
Pickett ,as a boy, grew up in the midwest (Kansas) with a Quaker family. He studied at Penn College in Iowa, the Hartford Theological Seminary, then at Harvard. In 1913, Picket married Lily Dale, who became Lily Pickett. His first line of work was being a pastor in various Quaker communities and then worked as the Young Friends of Five Years Meeting. He was also a professor in biblical literature at Earlham College.

The American Friends Society Committee; leadership and transformation
The biggest contribution Pickett made was his role as the Executive Secretary of the American Friends Society Committee. The committee began in june 1917, as a small group of devoted Quakers looking to volunteer in the ways that they could, specifically in areas of social justice and war. Because of the major opposition of violence in Quaker beliefs, the committee served as a space where young believers could find a peaceful community. It showed them more than the violence that took place around them and as a place where they could serve acts of peace and charity during WWI. For example, for victims of war, a rehabilitation service was provided by the committee,a foodcamp was designed for poor children and they also helped people earn jobs. Despite no existing authority or administrative power, Pickett was called up to be the executive secretary of the committee in ,1929, because they looked for a renewal. They favored his “radical” ideas on race, gender, religion, and economic equality and sought to build something bigger around those thoughts. In 1944, the agency took on a reconstructing project in Europe. This was the time of World war II, when food was scarce and rationed. Pickett details the food crisis in Europe as follows: “European milk is so scarce that it is available only on the illegal black market. Recently France has restricted the allowance of a half-liter of milk daily to children under six years of age. Only a few vegetables are obtainable. Bread is inadequate in quantity and in quality.” Shortly after Quakers rushed to set up milk stations, provide food to orphanages, prisons, refugee camps, and elderly homes. Other accomplishments under his leadership include helping over 20,000 individuals and families make their way to safety in Nazi Germany ,starting the annual Institute of Race Relations at Swarthmore College, creating intergated  work camps, (including several in the South), and  assisting  in reconstructing homes/hospitals and feeding thousands of children in korea. Pickett’s impact was extraordinary.

Political influence and power: Building a relationship with the First Lady
Beyond the humanitarian relief accomplishments, Pickett made way in political spaces. Between the time of President Theodor Roosevelt's election and inauguration, Pickett and First lady Eleanor Roosevelt became acquaintances. But what kick started their long term relationship was during the Great Depression. The Great depression in 1929 was the crash of the stock market, which caused the American economy to collapse. It deavasteed all Americans, no matter economic status, in some way or another almost in a domino effect. To help soothe the crisis, projects such as the Arthurdale Homestead Subsistence project,were created. The Homestead Subsistence project was a part of the New Deal, (a social economic renewal to help nurse Americans back on their feet during the Great Depression), and created homes where families could live, raise livestock and sometimes get a chance at employment. Together the two worked on projects like this, improving the lives of many during such difficult times.Even beyond this, Eleanor went out of her way to spread awareness in her newspaper about the AFSC, donate most of her proceeds from her radio to the ASFC and followed any request Pickett made because she “trusted his judgment” so much. Her love for the Quaker mission and contribution attracted her to the committee and explains her willingness to work with them on such levels. The exposure not only promoted a higher status for Pickett but also moved the committee and their mission to more awareness and support internationally. Therefore, they were able to move their agency into even more countries that experienced big crises and in dire need of help.

legacy and conclusions
Although Pickett lived his life until 1965, the religious leader's impact has not died. In honor of his contributions as an educator, a leader,a humanitarian and a Quaker, a middle school in 1970 was opened and declared Clarence E. Pickett middle school. It served education as a public school up until 2007. Today an organization, Mastery, claims the school and declared it a Mastery Charter school, the Pickett campus. More importantly, The Clarence and Lily Pickett endowment for Quaker leadership grants young quakers for support for n their leadings in their service-oriented work. Opened in 1991 in honor of the couple and closed in 201,9 the endowment granted over $325,000 to 150 Friends across the United States and across the Quaker world. Today, the endowment named three successor organizations; The Quaker Voluntary Service, The young adult programming of Friends Committee on National Legislation, and The Pendle Hill conference center’s work with young adult Friends. As for the ASFC, it's still up and running these days and was awarded a Nobel peace prize for its relief of violence and social injustice. Needless to say, Picketts actions did not go unnoticed but rather was appreciated and honored. That is, he was a man of quality, selflessness, righteousness and justice.

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