The London draper, temperance advocate and devout Christian George Williams was appalled at the degradation of workingmen in London and began a work among his fellow drapery employees. A go-getter in business, too, he rapidly advanced to partnership in his firm (a drapery house) and used his own substantial wealth to support evangelical causes.
Williams was motivated to form the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) by the terrible conditions and the consequent temptations for sin he perceived in London for young men. The first YMCA meeting was held in Williams’ drapery shop in St Paul’s Churchyard on June 6, 1844 and included 12 young men in total. Their objective was the “improvement of the spiritual condition of the young men engaged in houses of business, by the formation of Bible classes, family and social prayer meetings, mutual improvement societies, or any other spiritual agency.”
George Williams wasted no time in organising YMCA branches throughout England, Scotland and Ireland. Over the next 10 years, YMCA movements also began to develop across Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India and North America.
The first YMCA in North America was established in Montreal, Quebec in 1851. Later that year, the first YMCA in the United States opened in Boston on December 29, 1851. It was founded by Captain Thomas Valentine Sullivan (1800–59), an American seaman and missionary. By 1853, the Boston YMCA had 1,500 members, most of whom were merchants and artisans.
The idea of creating a truly global movement with an international headquarters was pioneered by Henry Dunant, Secretary of YMCA Geneva, who would later go on to found the International Committee of the Red Cross and win the first Nobel Peace Prize.
Henry Dunant successfully convinced YMCA Paris to organise the first YMCA World Conference. The Conference took place in August 1855, bringing together 99 young delegates from Europe and North America. They met just before the 1855 Paris World Exposition of the same year. The delegates discussed joining together in a federation to enhance cooperation amongst individual YMCA societies. This marked the beginning of the World Alliance of YMCAs.
The similar Young Women's Christian Association or YWCA was founded in 1870.
Long before Williams' death in 1905, the YMCA had achieved a membership of 150,000 in Britain and half a million in America with thousands of branches worldwide.
One of George Williams aims for the YMCA was to promote a muscular Christianity. He wanted to put Christian principles into practice by developing a healthy "body, mind, and spirit". The organisation was very influential during the 1870s and the 1930s in promoting good sportsmanship in athletic contests in gymnasiums and swimming pools. Three sports: basketball, volleyball and racquetball were invented in YMCA facilities.
Basketball was invented at the YMCA International Training School (later named Springfield College) in Massachusetts in 1891. Its inventor was Canadian YMCA trainer James Naismith.
Volleyball was invented in a Holyoke, Massachusetts YMCA in 1895. Its inventor was a YMCA physical education instructor William George Morgan.
Racquetball was invented in the Greenwich, Connecticut, YMCA in 1950. Its inventor was Joe Sobek a tennis, handball and squash player who worked in a rubber manufacturing factory,
Late 19th century Baseball star Billy Sunday started his evangelist career touring YMCAs. Sunday drew enormous crowds at YMCAs across the USA, who clamored to hear the famous baseball player recall his faith journey.
On January 13, 1979 The YMCA filed a libel suit against the Village People for their "YMCA" hit. It considered the song defamatory. The two sides settled out of court and the YMCA later expressed pride towards the band for their song as a salute to their organization.
Today the YMCA is a worldwide organisation with its headquarters based in Geneva, Switzerland. it now operates in 120 countries and reaches 58 million people.
In its early years, the YMCA organization provided beds and shelter to young men leaving the countryside for work in the cities. Many YMCAs throughout the world still maintain residences as an integral part of the programming. YMCAs in the United Kingdom are known now predominantly as organizations that provide accommodation for vulnerable and homeless young people. Across the UK the YMCA provides over 8,000 bed spaces, and is thus one of the largest providers of safe supported accommodation for young people.
Source YMCA
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| Si George Williams |
Williams was motivated to form the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) by the terrible conditions and the consequent temptations for sin he perceived in London for young men. The first YMCA meeting was held in Williams’ drapery shop in St Paul’s Churchyard on June 6, 1844 and included 12 young men in total. Their objective was the “improvement of the spiritual condition of the young men engaged in houses of business, by the formation of Bible classes, family and social prayer meetings, mutual improvement societies, or any other spiritual agency.”
George Williams wasted no time in organising YMCA branches throughout England, Scotland and Ireland. Over the next 10 years, YMCA movements also began to develop across Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India and North America.
The first YMCA in North America was established in Montreal, Quebec in 1851. Later that year, the first YMCA in the United States opened in Boston on December 29, 1851. It was founded by Captain Thomas Valentine Sullivan (1800–59), an American seaman and missionary. By 1853, the Boston YMCA had 1,500 members, most of whom were merchants and artisans.
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| First YMCA in Montreal By Denis Jacquerye |
The idea of creating a truly global movement with an international headquarters was pioneered by Henry Dunant, Secretary of YMCA Geneva, who would later go on to found the International Committee of the Red Cross and win the first Nobel Peace Prize.
Henry Dunant successfully convinced YMCA Paris to organise the first YMCA World Conference. The Conference took place in August 1855, bringing together 99 young delegates from Europe and North America. They met just before the 1855 Paris World Exposition of the same year. The delegates discussed joining together in a federation to enhance cooperation amongst individual YMCA societies. This marked the beginning of the World Alliance of YMCAs.
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| Emblem of 1881 |
The similar Young Women's Christian Association or YWCA was founded in 1870.
Long before Williams' death in 1905, the YMCA had achieved a membership of 150,000 in Britain and half a million in America with thousands of branches worldwide.
One of George Williams aims for the YMCA was to promote a muscular Christianity. He wanted to put Christian principles into practice by developing a healthy "body, mind, and spirit". The organisation was very influential during the 1870s and the 1930s in promoting good sportsmanship in athletic contests in gymnasiums and swimming pools. Three sports: basketball, volleyball and racquetball were invented in YMCA facilities.
 |
| YMCA Association Men cover, June 1919 |
Basketball was invented at the YMCA International Training School (later named Springfield College) in Massachusetts in 1891. Its inventor was Canadian YMCA trainer James Naismith.
Volleyball was invented in a Holyoke, Massachusetts YMCA in 1895. Its inventor was a YMCA physical education instructor William George Morgan.
Racquetball was invented in the Greenwich, Connecticut, YMCA in 1950. Its inventor was Joe Sobek a tennis, handball and squash player who worked in a rubber manufacturing factory,
Late 19th century Baseball star Billy Sunday started his evangelist career touring YMCAs. Sunday drew enormous crowds at YMCAs across the USA, who clamored to hear the famous baseball player recall his faith journey.
On January 13, 1979 The YMCA filed a libel suit against the Village People for their "YMCA" hit. It considered the song defamatory. The two sides settled out of court and the YMCA later expressed pride towards the band for their song as a salute to their organization.
Today the YMCA is a worldwide organisation with its headquarters based in Geneva, Switzerland. it now operates in 120 countries and reaches 58 million people.
In its early years, the YMCA organization provided beds and shelter to young men leaving the countryside for work in the cities. Many YMCAs throughout the world still maintain residences as an integral part of the programming. YMCAs in the United Kingdom are known now predominantly as organizations that provide accommodation for vulnerable and homeless young people. Across the UK the YMCA provides over 8,000 bed spaces, and is thus one of the largest providers of safe supported accommodation for young people.
Source YMCA
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