AFSC’s help for a young peace activist was never forgotten—now he is paying it forward

Quakerism began influencing Henry Kingsbury’s life at age 27 when he attended his first Friends meeting while studying piano in London. Now 80 and living in Kennebunk, Maine, he talks about how much Quaker ideas resonated with him and fueled his efforts as a peace activist during the Vietnam War.

“The war touched me when my dear friend Dana was killed in Vietnam in 1966, putting me in a tailspin of grief,” recalls Kingsbury.

After returning to the United States, Kingsbury settled in Boston, still deeply troubled by his country’s role in a seemingly endless war. He frequented Friends meetings in Dorchester, Beacon Hill, and Cambridge.

Through the local peace activism grapevine, he heard about draft counseling offered at the American Friends Service Committee’s Cambridge office. “They offered guidance to young men interested in draft resistance and establishing conscientious objector status, helping them avoid participating in a war they knew in their hearts was wrong,” he explains. Kingsbury befriended Cambridge office staff members, and they often attended the same peaceful protests.

As Kingsbury got older, he considered his connection to Quaker values pivotal, both spiritually and literally. “I met like-minded people at meetings,” he shares. “And the draft counseling saved my life.”

These experiences inspired him to include AFSC in his will five decades later. “When I reflected on my life, I thought, Why shouldn’t I include them in my planning?” Kingsbury recalls. “The decision reflects my deep belief in their work, from their dedication to nonviolence, to the help they provide to so many around the world.”

Nurture Peace Around the World

When you join Henry as a Friend for the Future with your own legacy gift, you ensure that your values live on to promote peace and justice worldwide. Discover the impact you could make by contacting Alyssa Chatten at GiftPlanning@afsc.org or 888-588-2372 to learn more.