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Carol Bernstein Ferry and the late W. H. (Ping) Ferry were social change philanthropists who gave away a substantial part of their personal wealth to progressive social change groups, activities, and activists concentrating generally in the areas of war, racism, poverty, and injustice. The Ferrys were also board members of the DJB Foundation, established by Carol's first husband, Daniel J. Bernstein, which focused its giving in similar areas. The papers, 1971-1996, document the individuals, organizations, and activities the Ferrys supported with their donations.

The DJB Foundation, a progressive social change philanthropy, was founded in 1948 by Daniel J. Bernstein to hold the portion of his inheritance intended for donation to charities. With his death in 1970 almost five-million dollars came to the foundation. Its most active period began in 1971 when the Board of Directors decided that all assets would be given away within ten years. The grants concentrated on groups and programs generally ignored by conventional foundations because they were "controversial" -- the poor, GIs, deserters and draft resisters, ethnic groups, convicts and ex-convicts. The DJB Foundation exhausted its funds by the end of 1974. The DJB Foundation Records consist of financial summaries and grant files containing correspondence, proposals, and information about the recipient organization.