The Committees of Correspondence is a loose network of individual Committees each located in different cities. A Committee is created when a gathering of patriots choose at least three individuals to meet regularly to formally conduct business aimed at fulfilling the Committee’s twin missions.
Historically, patriots would gather in town meetings to elect a Committee to join the vast Committees of Correspondence network. Here’s a guide to creating a new Committee in our modern day.
Deciding to create a new Committee of Correspondence
- Read the history. Learn about the original Committees of Correspondence and their mission.
- Check for preexisting Committees in your city. First check our directory or contact us to make sure a Committee doesn’t already exist for your city. If one already exists, see Joining an existing Committee.
- Determine who will host the gathering where a Committee will be chosen. At this one-time gathering, Committee members will be elected by their peers. The host/sponsor is responsible for ensuring that the representatives are fairly chosen by the attendees to serve on the Committee.
- Send invitations. The host/sponsor should send patriots an invitation to meet at a certain time and place and explain the purpose of electing a Committee. The meeting can take place anywhere–an event center, a church, a park, a living room, an office area, etc. Only citizens living in that city are eligible to elect or serve on that Committee.
- Choose a Committee. See Choosing Members to Serve On a Committee.