The New York Society for Ethical Culture

WHO WE ARE

The New York Society for Ethical Culture is a non-theistic, Humanist community dedicated to ethical relationships, social justice, and democracy since 1876. A cornerstone of the Progressive movement in New York City and beyond, the Society’s members put ethics in action to educate, organize, and build coalitions to end racism, poverty, and war; abolish the death penalty; welcome refugees and immigrants; fight climate change and pollution; and more.

We embrace the diversity of our city and invite all to join us in celebrating life’s joys, supporting each other through life’s challenges, and working together to build a more just world. Visit the Society online at ethical.nyc.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe all individuals have inherent worth and dignity, have the potential to grow and change, have a responsibility to strive for ethical growth, and have a responsibility to work to create a better world.

WHAT WE DO

We host hundreds of community programs a year, most of which are free or low cost. We hold forums on key social issues, and discussions on ethics, philosophy, and current events, and we partner with other organizations to co-sponsor events that serve the public good. Issues of war, social policy, and human rights have been discussed here by Greta Thunberg, Naomi Klein, Al Gore, Harry Belafonte, Cornell West, Toni Morrison, Amy Goodman, and many, many others.

Our Social Service Board sponsors and operates our shelter for homeless women, our Supervised Televisitation Service and studio for children with incarcerated parents, our Good Neighbor Initiative food and clothing donation programs, and more.

Our historic Upper West Side meeting house is also a thriving home for arts and culture, with films, theatrical events, book discussions, and writing, music and art workshops. Our 800-seat Adler Hall comes alive with pop, jazz, and classical music concerts, including the American Classical Orchestra, the JVC Jazz Festival, the Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School, and WFUV’s concert series.

OUR LEGACY

We founded the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, the Child Study Association, the U.S. Settlement House movement, the Encampment for Citizenship, and the Blythedale Children’s Hospital. We helped establish the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Urban League, the Legal Aid Society, the New York Committee to Abolish Capital Punishment, the National Child Labor Committee, and the Visiting Nurse Service.

OUR ALLIES

We are members of the Empire State Pride Agenda/Pride in the Pulpit, Justice for Juveniles Coalition, New York State Network for Immigration Reform, National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Reasonable New York, the Truth Commission on Conscience in War, and many more coalitions.