Wilbur H. Ferry

Wilbur H. 'Ping' Ferry (December 17, 1910 – September 30, 1995) was an American activist and philanthropist.

Biography

Ferry was born in Detroit on December 17, 1910. He attended the University of Detroit High School where he was a star football player. After high school, Ferry went on to Dartmouth College, earning his A.B degree in 1932. He worked as an instructor at the Choate School from 1932-1933. Next, he entered the profession of journalism, which he worked at from 1933–1935 and from 1937-1941.

Ferry married his first wife, Jolyne Marie Gillier in 1937. He served as Director of Public Relations for the CIO: Political Action Committee in 1944. From 1954-1969 Ferry was Vice President of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions. The two were divorced 35 years later in 1972, which was a year before Wilbur Ferry met his second wife, Carol Bernstein. Immediately after marrying, the two started playing an active role in human rights, political causes, prevention of environmental problems, and the overall struggles of places such as Africa. Ferry organized the exploratory project on Conditions for Peace in 1974. The work with Africa began in 1976 and didn’t end until 1987 when he organized the Citizens for Peace Treaty.