Young Americans for Freedom
Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) is a conservative youth organization that was established in September 1960 during a time of significant social and political activism in the United States. Founded with the assistance of prominent conservative William F. Buckley, Jr., the group aimed to mobilize young conservatives in response to the dominant leftist movements of the 1960s, such as the Civil Rights and antiwar protests. Predominantly composed of white and Christian members, YAF advocated for U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, free-market economics, states' rights, and limited government intervention.
A critical moment in the organization's history was the creation of the Sharon Statement, which articulated its core beliefs, emphasizing individual freedoms and national sovereignty. YAF positioned itself as a counter to leftist groups, organizing demonstrations in support of conservative ideals and participating actively in Republican campaigns, most notably backing Barry Goldwater's presidential candidacy in 1964. The influence of YAF extended into the 1980s, where it was involved in supporting Ronald Reagan and various Republican initiatives, including U.S. interventions abroad. The group played a significant role in shaping the political landscape for young conservatives, promoting right-wing ideologies on college campuses and furthering the conservative movement in America.
Young Americans for Freedom
A conservative youth group. The group was Republican in outlook although formally nonpartisan, and its members took pride in their anticommunism and in their fight against the perceived ascendancy of radical youth groups.
Origins and History
Young Americans for Freedom was a militant conservative youth group in an era when many of the nation’s young people were active in the Civil Rights and antiwar movements. The organization was founded in September, 1960, with the help of William F. Buckley, Jr., conservative and founder of the journal National Review as well as host of the television show Firing Line. Buckley provided the meeting place his own home in Sharon, Connecticut for the convention of conservative activists that gave rise to the organization. Young Americans for Freedom members were predominantly white and Christian. Two of its more famous members include former vice president Dan Quayle (during his college years) and Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, who was implicated in the Iran-Contra Scandal in the 1980’s.
Activities
Young Americans for Freedom gave strong support to U.S. military intervention in Vietnam, free-market economics, states’ rights, and limited government. On September 11, 1960, at Buckley’s home, the organization issued what became known as the Sharon Statement, similar to the Huron Statement issued by the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in 1962. The statement called on young people, in what it termed a “time of moral and political crisis,” to stand up for their beliefs. The statement said that the most important value is the “individual’s use of his God-given free-will,” and that political freedom must be accompanied by economic freedom. Young Americans for Freedom also professed a belief in the importance of U.S. national sovereignty and defeating communism rather than maintaining a coexistence with it. In keeping with its counter-SDS stance, during the 1960’s, the group organized its own demonstrations whenever the SDS held antiwar protests. Young Americans for Freedom, which had supported Barry Goldwater for the Republican vice presidential nominee in 1960, like Buckley, was active in the Barry Goldwater presidential campaign in 1964. The organization held yearly conventions for conservative youth up to age thirty-nine and their political allies.
Impact
Young Americans for Freedom played an active role in moving young Republicans to the right of the political center and acting as a counterpoint to the left-wing student organizations that dominated 1960’s campuses. The organization remained active in Republican politics through the 1980’s and gave strong support to Ronald Reagan, who served as Honorary National Chairman, and to U.S. intervention in El Salvador. Critics claimed that the the group supported death squads in El Salvador.
Additional Information
For a recent study, see John A. Andrews’s The Other Side of the Sixties: Young Americans for Freedom and the Rise of Conservative Politics (1997).