The Charles E. Stevens Library & Archive specializes in the preservation of Atheist, Freethought, Rationalist, Secularist, Skeptic, Humanist, Agnostic and Deist materials.
Every movement needs a memory. This is ours.
The Library and Archives house about 10,000 books, and tens of thousands of pamphlets, booklets, periodicals, letters, photographs and other material relevant to our mission and history. We have an extensive collection of newsletters and other documents representing the history and activities of hundreds of atheist and freethought organizations at the local, regional and national level.
Browse Our Full Collection of Books and Literature
Our catalog is hosted on LibraryWorld’s Online Patron Access Catalog. From there, you can search our collection of atheism and freethought literature.
About Our Collection
Our holdings constitute one of the nation’s largest private gathering of books, booklets, pamphlets, periodicals, ephemera and other records related to the history of American atheism and freethought. We also have an extensive collection of materials on philosophy, science, the history of religion as well as state-church separation and First Amendment rights.
Our library and archive is open to scholars and the public by appointment. To arrange a visit, please email us directly at [email protected]
We maintain an extensive collections of renowned atheist, freethought and related publications – most of them extinct – including The Atheist, Free Society, The Truthseeker, Temple of Reason, and The National Reformer.
The Library also serves as an archive for records, publications, pamphlets, audio-visual materials and other pertinent information related to American Atheists and its founder, Madalyn Murray O’Hair, and her family.
For nearly five decades, Madalyn Murray O’Hair collected books, pamphlets, letters and related materials on the history of Atheism and Freethought. She knew the importance of preserving these works. In 1965, Charles E. Stevens, an early supporter of Ms. O’Hair’s legal battle to end mandatory prayer and Bible verse reading in public schools, made a donation to establish on a permanent basis the library that would eventually bear his name.
Schedule a Visit
If you are a scholar, student, researcher, or member of the public and would like to visit our library and archive, please contact us directly to schedule a visit.
Note: access to the Charles E. Stevens American Atheist Library & Archive is by appointment only. We are unable to accommodate visitors who arrive without an appointment.
Our working hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm
To schedule your visit, please email:
225 Cristiani Street, Cranford NJ 07016-3214
Help preserve the history of our movement.
The White Christian Nationalist movement is working to tear down the wall between church and state. And they want you to believe it was never there. We’re holding the proof they’re wrong — court records, correspondence, the work of generations of fighters. Support this important work with a tax deductible gift today!