The Radical Fund That Shaped Modern America

The little-known American Fund for Public Service supported some of the most important social justice campaigns of the 20th century.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 2:55pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Beginning in 1922, the American Fund for Public Service, also known as the Garland Fund, supported major labor strikes, the NAACP's anti-lynching legislation, W.E.B. Du Bois's anti-segregation efforts, and much more. Despite its outsized influence, the fund remains largely unknown today. John Fabian Witt's new book "The Radical Fund" tells the story of how this modest but visionary organization upended American history.

Why it matters

The American Fund for Public Service played a pivotal role in fueling some of the most significant social justice movements of the 20th century, from the labor movement to the civil rights struggle. Yet its story has been largely forgotten, overshadowed by the Red Scare and the fund's own internal conflicts about the role of philanthropy. Understanding the fund's legacy provides important lessons for contemporary philanthropy and social change.

The details

The American Fund for Public Service was created in 1920 when Charles Garland, heir to a Wall Street banking fortune, rejected a $1 million inheritance and instead used the money to establish the fund. Garland was urged to do so by writer Upton Sinclair, who connected him with labor advocate Roger Baldwin, a founder of the ACLU. Over the next two decades, the fund supported a wide range of progressive causes, from labor strikes to the Scopes Monkey Trial to Margaret Sanger's birth control advocacy. Despite its modest resources, the fund left an outsized mark on 20th century America.

  • The American Fund for Public Service was created in 1920.
  • Over the next two decades, from the 1920s through the 1940s, the fund supported a wide range of progressive causes.

The players

Charles Garland

Heir to a Wall Street banking fortune who rejected a $1 million inheritance and instead used the money to establish the American Fund for Public Service in 1920.

Upton Sinclair

Muckraking journalist and author who urged Garland to put his inheritance to good use by establishing the American Fund for Public Service.

Roger Baldwin

Labor advocate and a founder of the ACLU, who helped Garland establish the American Fund for Public Service and served as a driving force behind the organization.

John Fabian Witt

Author of the book "The Radical Fund" which tells the story of the American Fund for Public Service and its outsized influence on 20th century American history.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Hypocrisy is necessary for progress... it tends to take you from where you are to where you want to go.”

— Roger Baldwin, Co-founder of the ACLU and driving force behind the American Fund for Public Service

What’s next

The book "The Radical Fund" by John Fabian Witt provides a detailed account of the American Fund for Public Service's history and legacy, offering important lessons for contemporary philanthropy and social change efforts.

The takeaway

The American Fund for Public Service's story illustrates how a relatively modest amount of funding, coupled with strategic vision and a willingness to support controversial causes, can have an outsized impact on the course of history. Its legacy serves as an inspiration for how philanthropy can be leveraged to drive meaningful social progress, even in the face of significant opposition.