Near East Relief Historical Society welcomes the passage of a historic Senate resolution recognizing and remembering the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

In the December issue children of Near East Relief orphanages make “Christmas out of nothing” while fighting continues between Greek and Turkish forces, leading to the massacre of Greek villagers near Trebizond. In the aftermath of the Battle of Alexandropol NER workers chose to remain with the orphans and patients in their care and receive thanks President Ohandjanian of Armenia. Thousands of Greek, Assyrian and Armenian refugees overwhelm the Port of Batum. The League of Nations continues to wrestle with the problems in the region and Denmark considers a mandate.

Inside the November issue NNE explores the different religions and sects of the region, tells the story of Miss. Myrtle O. Shane who refused to leave the children behind in Alexandropol and how NER workers in Adana kept the soup kitchen open during months of Turkish bombardment.

On October 29, 2019, an overwhelming bipartisan majority in Congress approved a resolution to commemorate the Armenian Genocide through recognition and remembrance. The resolution acknowledged the crucial efforts of Ambassador Henry Morgenthau and Near East Relief on behalf of the survivors of the genocide.

Despite the end of World War I in 1917, war and food shortages continued in the Near East as competing powers fought for dominance throughout the region.  Confronted with the challenge of how to feed thousands of refugees, Near East Relief found creative ways to appeal to the American public to support humanitarian work.

The October issue discusses the impact of the Treaty of Sevres and takes an in depth look at education in the Near East.

In the September issue Turkish armistices are made and broken on a daily basis in Aintab, and Dr. Blanche Norton makes progress in the struggle against trachoma in Aleppo.

In the July and August issue more than 100 Near East Relief workers prepare for the Fall Campaign at a conference in New Jersey and learn about the Armenians of Aintab fighting back with ancient cannonballs, homemade bombs and hand made spears. The Boy Scouts offer training in Smyrna and the children of Sivas excel at learning new trades.

In honor of Father’s Day this past weekend in the US on June 16, we celebrate fathers around the world and all the men who take on the role of being a father figure for those who have lost theirs.

The June edition includes an overview of the training programs in several of the orphanages, takes a detailed look at cloth manufacturing, reported on conditions in Urfa and more.

Thank you for your support over the past two years.

The Near East Relief orphanage at Erivan (now Yerevan, Armenia) has a fascinating story that is all its own.

Five thousand refugees. Six thousand acres of farmland. At last, they had a place to call home. But for how long?

 

 

 

 

Let’s catch up with Near East Relief worker Annie Allen.  This is a continuation of her diary from September 1920.

Have you ever wondered what life was really like for Near East Relief workers? Annie T. Allen kept a diary of her trip into the Turkish interior in September 1920. These entries were published in the April 9, 1921 issue of Near East Relief.

The brave women who worked for Near East Relief were years ahead of their time. This 1922 article showcases just a few of the organization’s pioneering women.

On September 16, 1915, a group of businessmen, educators, and philanthropists met in New York City. Their mission: to save the lives of a suffering people in the Near East. One hundred and one years later, the Near East Foundation celebrates this history with an eye toward the future.

There is enough confusion about this issue that your loyal curator thought it was time for a Dispatch. Let’s demystify the many names of Near East Relief.

Alice Carr was a teacher, a nurse, and a lifelong humanitarian. Carr was a pioneering force behind Near East Relief’s orphanage work in Greece. She was also an accomplished medical specialist who helped transform Near East Relief to the Near East Foundation.

Persia (modern-day Iran) was a key area of Near East Relief’s work with Assyrian Christians — yet this part of the relief effort has been largely overlooked. Let’s rediscover it together.

It was a time of brutal conflict, and countless innocent lives hung in the balance. Near East Relief would have to work quickly to save thousands of orphans — and it did.

How did a massive Ottoman army barracks become a home to 9,000 refugees fleeing military violence?

By 1921, the Queen of Cities was inundated with refugees from Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Russia. Thousands of lives hung in the balance. What could Near East Relief do?

The golden city on the Bosphorus had it all: wealth, beauty, diversity . . . and a burgeoning refugee crisis.

We found so many fantastic pictures of Near East Relief’s work in Athens that one Dispatch just wasn’t enough.

Our collection of historical photographs is second to none. But there is one thing that is usually missing: names.

Not every mystery can be solved.

What goes on behind the scenes at the Near East Relief Historical Society?

On February 16, 1919, a large group of Near East Relief volunteers set out to make history.

Happy Valentine’s Day from NERHS!

How did Near East Relief orphans celebrate Christmas? With tasty treats, small gifts, and sometimes even a visit from Santa Claus himself!

Near East Relief began publishing the New Near East magazine as a way to keep the public engaged. Nearly 100 years later, the issues offer incredible insight into Near East Relief’s work.

In 1921, a charming orphan girl became an international sensation as the star of Near East Relief’s Alice in Hungerland. Today we honor Alice Duryea Kinney, who passed away this week at the age of 103.

The committee that would become Near East Relief met for the first time on September 16, 1915. One hundred years later, the Near East Foundation (NEF) continues Near East Relief’s legacy of helping vulnerable populations through sustainable development programs.

Harold C. Jaquith and Mary Harin Jaquith met through Near East Relief in Constantinople. Their life together was an adventure that spanned countries and decades.

Dr. James L. Barton led this organization for 21 years, from its beginnings as a temporary committee to its emergence as the internationally acclaimed Near East Foundation. Who was the quiet man behind the greatest American international humanitarian campaign of all time?

In 1918, Aurora Mardiganian astonished the American people with her account of the Armenian Genocide. What can we learn from the double tragedy of Aurora Mardiganian’s life story?

Barclay Acheson was active in Near East Relief and Near East Foundation from 1922 to 1957. His early photographs from the field form an integral part of our collection.

A Near East Relief pamphlet from the 1920s asked the question, “Shall the Near East Have Music?” The answer was a resounding “yes.”

Announcing the Nellie Miller Mann Collection, a captivating group of images illustrating one relief worker’s time with Near East Relief. The Collection is now available in our digital archive.

There are several excellent guides available for teaching about the Armenian Genocide, but there has never been a curriculum specific to Near East Relief’s work — until now.

 

Have you had a chance to see They Shall Not Perish: The Story of Near East Relief on display in Los Angeles or Washington, D.C.? Would you like to see the exhibition to your own city?

 

In 2002, a Near East Foundation Board member envisioned a website that would immerse visitors in the history of this organization, from its roots as a small committee responding to a humanitarian crisis to its emergence as a pioneering philanthropic effort.