John Birch Society is a conservative, anti-Communist organization in the United States. It is named for Captain John M. Birch, a Baptist missionary who became an Army Air Forces officer during World War II (1939-1945). Birch was killed by Chinese Communists in 1945.
The John Birch Society describes itself as an educational group that aims to promote “less government, more responsibility, and … with God’s help … a better world.” Its goals include the elimination of the federal income tax, welfare and social security programs, and federal regulatory agencies. The society has called for publicizing the voting records of members of Congress in such areas as federal spending and assistance to Communist governments. It made efforts to impeach Earl Warren when he was chief justice of the United States. It has also tried to sever U.S. trade with Communist countries and to end U.S. membership in the United Nations.
The society was founded in 1958 by Robert H. W. Welch, a retired Boston industrialist. At its height, in the 1960’s, it had an estimated membership of 100,000 people. At that time, many of its members were on school and library boards or held other local offices.
The society’s operations include summer youth camps, a book distribution chain, and an audio-visual production department. Its headquarters are in Appleton, Wisconsin.
