Explore our fascinating history

Discover first-hand accounts and original historic artifacts from the Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs

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About the AFS Archives

The Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs (AFS Archives) is the official repository for material related to the history and development of the organization that is now referred to as AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc.

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AFS History

AFS Intercultural Programs began as the American Ambulance Field Service, a volunteer ambulance corps created in April 1915 by A. Piatt Andrew. Learn about how AFS was transformed from a wartime humanitarian aid organization into a groundbreaking international secondary school exchange, volunteer, and intercultural learning organization in our timeline!

View Our Timeline

Accessing the Archives

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The AFS Archives contains more than 500 cubic feet of unique documents, photographs, memorabilia, and audio-visual material dating from as early as 1915, when AFS was founded as a volunteer ambulance corps in France. The collections are organized into four chronological record groups.

View our collection list

AFS Janus

Read our highly-anticipated publication containing exciting stories from the history and present-day activities of the organization.

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Archival Spotlight

AFS WWII Ambulance Drivers Last Post

AFS pays our respects to our volunteers who recently passed away, and who were AFS Ambulance Drivers in World War II. These brave individuals were instrumental in the founding of our organization, which started as a humanitarian American Field Service more than 100 years ago.

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The Volunteers: Americans Join World War I, 1914-1919 Curriculum

Encourage secondary school students worldwide to become global citizens and engage them with unique primary sources through our free secondary school curriculum about the history of World War I volunteerism.

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Stories from the Stacks

Stay updated with exciting projects and newly-digitized collections in the AFS Archives!
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AFS Drivers on Leave: Cultural Experiences during World War II

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World War I Diaries Now Available Online

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A New Exhibition Honors AFS Volunteer Efforts During WWI

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Stephen Galatti: The AFS Visionary

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AFS Remembers Edwin R. Masback, Jr. (1917-2017)

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Photographs in the AFS Archives: Arthur Howe, Jr. Collection

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Support the AFS Archives

As a non-profit repository, the AFS Archives depends upon the generous support of its friends in order to continue documenting the history of AFS and offering the highest standards available to the researching public. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation by clicking here, selecting AFS International in the drop-down list and dedicating your donation to the “AFS Archives”.

Donate Here

Contact

The AFS Archives is open for research by appointment only. Please contact us here:

Archival Inquiries

  • If you are requesting an in-house research appointment, please include a list of archival collections needed for research, the type of project and outcome (such as if this will result in a publication), and the reason for an on-site visit. Please note that the AFS Archives does not maintain a database with current contact information for AFS alumni, so we are unable to help with these requests.
    Read the AFS Privacy Policy here: https://afs.org/global-privacy-policy.