Correspondence, published and unpublished writings, printed material, and other papers reflecting all facets of Holmes's public career and the libertarian movements of the 20th century. Documents his involvement with civil liberties, civil rights, pacifism, and social service organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Friends Service Committee, Council Against Intolerance in America, Foster Parents' Plan for War Children, League for Industrial Democracy, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and War Resisters League; his activities as pastor (1907-1949) of the Church of the Messiah (later Community Church), New York, N.Y.; and his personal life. Subjects include abortion, African Americans, birth control, civil society, contraception, economic conditions, economic policy, industrial policy, industry, labor, labor unions, peace, prejudices, race relations, racism, social conditions, social values, Society of Friends, toleration, and World War II refugee children. The writings file includes Holmes's articles, hymns, sermons, and manuscripts of his books including My Gandhi (1953) and I Speak for Myself: The Autobiography of John Haynes Holmes (1959).

Correspondents include Roger N. Baldwin, Henry Beckett, Arthur E. Calder, Carl Colodne, Ethelwyn Doolittle, Donald Szantho Harrington, Arthur Garfield Hays, Arthur Heller, B.W. Huebsch, Fiorello H. La Guardia, Corliss Lamont, Lillian Laub, Salmon Oliver Levinson, Minnie Loewenthal, Louis B. Mayer, George E. Moesel, Francis Neilson, Carl Nelson, Edith Lovejoy Pierce, Henriette Posner, Ralph C. Roper, Norman Thomas, Carl Hermann Voss, Blanche Watson, and Walter Francis White.

Holmes's autograph collection contains copies of letters from individuals including John Dewey, Mahatma Gandhi, Herbert Hoover, Helen Keller, Charles A. Lindbergh, Jawaharlal Nehru, Eddie Rickenbacker, Bertrand Russell, and Wendell L. Willkie.