Historical records of the Skagitonians Concerned About Nuclear Plants (housed at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies) include some materials produced by the Skagit Citizens for Nuclear Disarmament and Skagit Peace Education Fund. Researchers interested in the history of these groups are advised to consult both collections.
The collection is open to the public.
Skagit Citizens for Nuclear Disarmament (SCND) and the Skagit Peace Education Fund (SPEF) were formed in response to the intense nuclear proliferation of the 1970s, building upon the work of Skagitonians Concerned About Nuclear Power to advocate against nuclear build-up and for peace, justice, and the well-being of the environment. The Nuclear Freeze movement gained momentum throughout the 1980s and Nuclear Free Zones were established in over 1,000 locations worldwide. In 1984, a Nuclear Free Zone in Skagit County was approved with 62% of the vote. Once enacted in 1985, the freeze prohibited all development, storage, manufacture or usage of nuclear weapons in the county.
SCND bylaws were approved in 1981, and SPEF was incorporated in the summer of 1986 and awarded non-profit status in 1992. Activities supported by members of SCND and SPEF included publishing the Skagit Network News (which was distributed to over two thousand households in the area in the 1980s and 1990s); developing a Peace Library at the Anacortes Peace Arts Center; hosting film screenings and presentations by authors, artists and dignitaries; collaborating with politicians; working to incorporate peace studies into teacher education; and participating in various local and regional fairs, festivals, and fundraising endeavors.
This collection documents the history and activities of Skagit County organizations and individuals at the forefront of efforts to promote nuclear disarmament, and peace and justice issues during the 1980s and 1990s. Records include articles of incorporation and bylaws for the Skagit Citizens for Nuclear Disarmament group and the Skagit Peace Education Fund (its successor), plus organizational correspondence, newsletters and other educational materials produced between 1983 and 1995. The collection contains documentation of the annual Skagit "Peace Fair", as well as the successful campaign to establish a Skagit Nuclear Free Zone (enacted through a 1984 ballot measure).
The Skagitonians Concerned About Nuclear Plants records and Whatcom County Nuclear Freeze records are housed and available at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
Skagit Citizens for Nuclear Disarmament and Skagit Peace Education Fund Records, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Archives and Special Collections, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
The collection was donated to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies on March 2, 2016, by Grace Hubbard, past SCND chair. Additional materials relating to the Sister Cities program were donated by Joan Cross in November 2018.
To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and
teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see
the following
Correspondence in Russian with English translations
Rerecording by Holly Near of her song written in approximately 1983, in conjunction with efforts by La Conner residents to establish a Sister City connection with Ol'ga. The Sister City files listed above include a copy of sheet music for this song.
Please contact cpnws staff in advance to request access to this digital resource.