California State Spiritualists Association

California State Spiritualists Association (CSSA) was a California non-profit corporation intended as a central, representative body for all Spiritualist churches and independent Spiritualist mediums in the state, hosting regular meetings with delegates voting on policy and leadership questions. The association was founded in July 1896 and dissolved in March 2019.

Press Coverage

Formation (1896)

• "SPIRITUALISTS NOW UNITED. Mrs. Whitney Receives a Spiritual Communication. CONSTITUTION DRAFTED - Officers for the Ensuing Year Elected by Unanimous Vote. C. H. WADSWORTH, PRESIDENT. President Barrett Receives a Handsome Gift at the Social in the Evening.", San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA): 10, 27 May 1896, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/77941515/ 
• "Spiritualists Incorporate.", San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA): 8, 22 Jul. 1896, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/27486717/ 
• "OCCULTISM IS GAINING GROUND - Many New Spiritualist Societies Have Been Organized. KEEN INTEREST SHOWN - President Wadsworth Reads a Highly Encouraging Annual Report. TENDENCY TO CONSOLIDATE. Free-Thought Delegates Admitted. National President Barrett's Able Address.", San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA): 8, 5 Sep. 1896, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/77947055/ 

Second Year (1897)

• "SPIRITUALISTS OF THE STATE CELEBRATE. The Forty-Ninth Anniversary of Modern Spiritualism Observed With Addresses, Messages and Music.", San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 4, 2 Apr. 1897, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/459203051/ 
• "Spiritualists Elect Officers.", Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA): 3, 5 Sep. 1897, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380184372/ 

Fourth Year (1899)

• "SPOOK OF A LAWYER TRIED TO BREAK INTO CONVENTION. Spiritualists Side-Track the Ghost and Settle Their Differences in an Election Full of Personal Feeling.", San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA): 32, 3 Sep. 1899, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/27514967/ 
• "TALKED ABOUT SPIRITUALISM. THREE DAYS' MEETING DRAWS TO A CLOSE. LOCAL AND EASTERN EXPONENTS OF THE CREED MAKE ADDRESSES. M. S. Norton Says the Man With the Hoe Should Be Told That He Is Master of the Universe.", San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA): 7, 4 Sep. 1899, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/27515229/ 

Fifth Year (1900)

• "A LICENSE ON SPIRITUALISM - State Association Adopts Resolutions Condemning the Supervisor. FIFTY-SECOND ANNIVERSARY. Claim the Same Right as the Churches to Conduct Their Exercises Without Charge.", San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 5, 2 Apr. 1900, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/457437422/ 

Eighth Year (1903)

• "SPIRITUALISTS IN SESSION. The Rules Are Altered and Trustees Elected at the Convention.", San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA): 25, 6 Sep. 1903, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/27477438/ 

Eleventh Year (1906)

The association is relocated from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

• "CABINETS TABOOED. Spiritualists' Association Declares Against Means Encouraging Charlatanism.", Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA): 5, 9 Sep. 1906, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380207044/ 

Twenty-Second Year (1917)

• "Spiritualists Up in Arms, Claim Powers are Usurped", Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, CA): 1, 8 Feb. 1917, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/616684653/  — on the formation of the National Independent Spiritualist Association